fastback - are you a part time employed helicopter pilot looking for a full time job or are you a full time employed helicopter pilot whingeing about part timers? If you are the former then perhaps we should be sympathetic but if you are the latter you should be grateful to get the time off. Some full time employed helicopter pilots are required to work all of the days that the system allows (although in reality there aren't that many over a year - although they do interrupt the social life because they never remember Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays!).