Originally Posted by
helonorth
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.
Yes, people are getting confused.
I was trying to make the point that an experienced SE Helicopter pilot would be unlikely to earn more than a person with a basic trade qualification.
Don’t confuse this with what you pay.
Likely, A$1500/hr for a charter in an R44 - pilot probably gets between 0 and $50. (The ignorant public might think the pilot is earning $1000/hr)
An employed Motor Mechanic might cost you $200/hr at a dealership, but obviously doesn’t make that!
I was trying to get the OP to consider the reality: If you “make it”, in the SE world, you’d earn substantially less than a Geologist, and likely suffer some horrendous downsides. (Potentially: No/few weekends off, all working “away”, crap rosters that would never be entertained in other industries, not home for Xmas/kids birthdays, for eg.)
When I was an electrician: Working a weekend, (2 x 10 hr days) gave me an extra weeks pay. (First few hrs were 1.5 x normal rate, the rest was “double time”.)
As a novice pilot I would work weekends for $0 just to get an hr in my log book.
As an experienced ME IFR pilot, weekends/Xmas day/etc are just another work day.
I’d rather work as a Pilot than an electrician. (ME IFR - beat an average Electricians wage)
Many Pilots families would prefer their partner/parent worked as an Electrician.
Not sure about working as a Geologist, but would probably swap, to be honest.