McDermott Aviation’s submission to the Royal Commission into Natural Disasters.

General stuff that gets thrown about when Helicopter Pilots shoot the Breeze.
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Tactical71
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McDermott Aviation’s submission to the Royal Commission into Natural Disasters.

Postby Tactical71 » Sat Jun 27 2020, 03:21

Hi all,

Not sure if it has been posted in here previously. Apologies if it has.

McDermott Aviation has provided a very well written, presented and comprehensive submission to the Royal Commission into Natural Disasters. When they could have sat back and just got on with their job, they have taken the time to contribute positively by providing their views on the current systems in place and failures in some management areas of natural disasters, as they seem them.

Its long, but definitely worth a read if you are interested in aviation use in natural disasters and times of emergency in Australia.

https://naturaldisaster.royalcommission ... .01003.pdf

Cheers

Gus
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Re: McDermott Aviation’s submission to the Royal Commission into Natural Disasters.

Postby godfather007 » Sat Jun 27 2020, 07:24

Thanks for posting Gus.
When I have the time to read the 47 pages, I will.
Cheers!
There is always an option.
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Re: McDermott Aviation’s submission to the Royal Commission into Natural Disasters.

Postby Jabberwocky » Sat Jun 27 2020, 12:45

Good on them for for writing that. A lot of smaller operators would not have the same confidence to do so. A little bit of contradiction and plenty of sales pitch thrown in for good measure but they do know what they’re talking about on most levels. I hope it is listened to, doubt it though.
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Hello Pilots
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Re: McDermott Aviation’s submission to the Royal Commission into Natural Disasters.

Postby Hello Pilots » Wed Jul 1 2020, 03:48

Fully concur with Jabberwocky's comments.
As for the last part "I hope it is listened to, doubt it though" is particularly relevant given that RFSs head is planted so far up a Coulsons exhaust nozzle that it cant hear the rest of the industry.
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Re: McDermott Aviation’s submission to the Royal Commission into Natural Disasters.

Postby Yankee » Wed Jul 1 2020, 15:34

Found this on the internet...
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zipp
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Re: McDermott Aviation’s submission to the Royal Commission into Natural Disasters.

Postby zipp » Wed Jul 1 2020, 19:12

Got to love the aviation industry!!! Everyone bites the hand that feeds them and would sell there mother to fill their own bank account.

All I read was a sales pitch in an attempt to get more work and discredit overseas operators!!! I bet John doesn’t care about all the contracts he has in states like TAS, WA etc when the locals operators don’t get work and he does. Then throws in a few air attack machines in for nothing. Where is the Australian spirt there?
Also bet he doesn’t care about the revenue he makes from his N registered aircraft or when they are overseas taking money from Canadian etc operations!!! They pitch that they support Australian first then sells his affiliation with a US company to bring in other aircraft. Interesting argument.
I’m not having a go at McDerrmots specifically as you hear it everywhere with lots of operators who all had a good season but are still as tight as a fish a@&ehole.

I think Coulsons and RFS giving industry full time jobs and not just part time contracts when they are busy only makes the industry better for pilots, both rotary and fixed wing. Could be wrong but tell me who else does this and if they did, would not just use contract pilots? I bet there are lots of pilots thankful that they are feeding their family’s after Covid because of this.

This is just business chaps! I welcome other Australian operators to buy C130, 737, etc and set up for this amount of financial exposure and risk. I wish I could apply for one of the jobs. Maybe one day when an Australian operator might decide to invest in the pilots of industry without the pilot having to go to PNG, US or Canada to get experience on these helicopter types.

Yeah. Thought not!!!!!
zipp
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Re: McDermott Aviation’s submission to the Royal Commission into Natural Disasters.

Postby zipp » Wed Jul 1 2020, 19:34

I should add that I agree with comments that things could be done better and improvements made in systems etc but we should not use the Royal Commission to persuade business decisions. That’s not going to help save lives or houses.
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Re: McDermott Aviation’s submission to the Royal Commission into Natural Disasters.

Postby bubble bugs » Sat Jul 4 2020, 21:44

I think Coulsons and RFS giving industry full time jobs and not just part time contracts when they are busy only makes the industry better for pilots, both rotary and fixed wing. Could be wrong but tell me who else does this and if they did, would not just use contract pilots? I bet there are lots of pilots thankful that they are feeding their family’s after Covid because of this.


Coulson's tour all their crew all over the world except if your Australian! They had a great group of people with thousands of hours in mediums and heavies that have worked all over the world apply for the RFS positions and they were asked to pay their own travel and accommodation costs to tour or move to Sydney then didn't want to pay a fair wage. In fact you would make more money in 4 months as a contractor flying a light.
They hired a nice guy with relevant industry experience and zero type experience as the chief pilot when a vast amount of qualified guys applied! This is not supporting the local industry just a cost cutting and political exercise to ensure they keep the 737's on contract and so the RFS can get rid of the BKs operated by Careflight who the RFS are having problems working with.
Good luck to all involved but don't be fooled into thinking this is the way it should be run. This should have been awarded to a Local company with the ability to service the contracts and there are numerous within the Sydney basin region that could have done just that!
zipp
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Re: McDermott Aviation’s submission to the Royal Commission into Natural Disasters.

Postby zipp » Sun Jul 5 2020, 04:18

Can you share where you can earn that in 4 months and have a nice secure job and go home to the family at night? I’ll put my CV in.. :shock:

That’s my argument bubble! Isn’t it a good thing that the Australians are getting a full time job and not needing to tour and if the job is in Sydney then that’s where the job is. Of course it’s not going to be for everyone but lucky for the guys and gals who live in Sydney to get a chance to fly different gear without having to tour. We have kiwis flying helis in Aus fires so why aren’t these company’s getting a beating for not supporting local? I know a few locals that didn’t get as much of a chance this past summer cause a few other overseas pilots were on the books all because the company’s won’t pay to have locals trained on type.
Why pay airfares and a room that cost more money if locals might get a shot and build the local industry? Are you saying that if you haven’t flown all over the world your not a good pilot?

I say good luck to the chief pilot and I hope he does well. It’s not fair to say they can’t do the job cause they don’t have time on type when everyone else does it. I understand he has been around fires for long enough to be qualified. A number of company’s have all bought new machines and operated them without the Chief having experience on type and that’s not a problem so good on him. Did Sydney heli’s chief have 412 type when it was purchased? Did touchdown or pays have time on type for the blackhawks they brought in from overseas? List goes on but I say good on all of them for having a go also.

All I’m saying is that although it would be nice to say a local operator won this deal, I think it’s a bit hypercritical for this submission to the commission to say that it’s a bad thing when so many Aus operators bring in overseas helicopters and crew including McDermott's. If my house was burning I’d be happy to see any helicopter put it out and if this helps other Australian pilots and crew get a good job then I’m all for it regardless of who owns it. Also hope it might be me one day not to have to worry about the next pay check and I see this as a move in the right direction for that side of our industry.
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Re: McDermott Aviation’s submission to the Royal Commission into Natural Disasters.

Postby Firefish » Mon Jul 6 2020, 00:14

Didn’t see that descending into the usual have a big sook session. Said no one ever. :lol:

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