Conway - I have to disagree with your "...the skills required are similar..." statement. Hovering with a load on the hook whilst in your normal seating position, looking out the front at your hover references while 1 or 2 crewmen con you into position is a very different proposition to twisting your body sideways, hanging out the door with your arms and legs at full stretch trying to manipulate the controls whilst trying to judge height, speed, and movement with just the ground below as a reference.