Originally Posted by
gulliBell
I would suggest in the present climate SE positions wouldn't come close to what a tradesman would earn. I just paid a plumber $150 to show up at my front door which got me 15 minutes of his time. After that it was about $150/hr and I had to do all the digging. A roof tiler quoted me $2000 for one days work. The OP is a geologist with experience and I dare say his salary now is more than it would ever be as a SE Captain.
Your observations about the aspects of the different helicopter career paths I do agree on. About half of my working life was in far-flung places far away from home a month+ at a time. As a M/E IFR Offshore Captain my highest salary was probably less than what the young plumber was earning who crimped three leaking water pipes with a battery operated tool. And my kerosene operated tool was far more expensive and prone to calamities than his aforementioned tool.
If you think these guys are earning that, you're wrong. The car dealerships get $150-200 an hour to work on your car. They are not making $200 an hour. Anybody that shows up at your house is going to charge you a $100. Hello.