BALPA National Officer Mick Brade discusses the challenges helicopter pilots face due to the current turbulence in the North Sea economy. 

Our members in the helicopter sector, be that pilots or aircrewmen, are a vital part of BALPA, whom we are proud to represent. Here are just a few accounts from members we’ve supported in recent times. 

As part of our ‘Ask a pilot’ blog series we take a look at some of the most common questions asked of helicopter pilots and put them to one of BALPA's most experienced reps, Mike Buckley. 

The past year has been a difficult one for our colleagues based in the North Sea. The fall in oil prices saw oil and gas companies make drastic attempts to cut costs, and nearly a quarter of jobs in Bristow, CHC and Bond Helicopters faced redundancy.