Probably the wrong thread but here goes anyway. Aircav The problem is not with retention as relatively speaking there have not been that many more pilots go fixed wing recently as there have in previous times (and some of them the industry was glad to get rid of anyway). The problem is now the demographic profile of the existing workforce and aquisition of quality replacements. Few experienced ex mil guys are coming into rotary civi life. Very few good onshore heli jockeys want to go offshore. North Sea numbers have been kept up by taking on self improvers who by definition have got their qualification by having a big wad of dosh. Several have done it because they weren't that bright at school and it was a cool way to get into a "glam" job. Others did it "cos it looked fun". As long as they had the money and a persevering flying school they would eventually reach the minimum standard to pass the CPL(h) exams. As the North Sea in particular has been so short of pilots for the last 2 1/2 years they would take anyone with a license who could crawl through the door. When recently did any new helicopter pilot have to go through a serious selection process to get a job in the North Sea. Pilots have been employed over the phone. The Training deptartments then struggle to get these guys through the hoops to get the P2 cannon fodder on line.
Sooner or later these guys move up the seniority list and before you know it they are next in line for command. Some make it OK but many make it only because they have flown these routes so many times. Put them in a tricky situation and will they get away with it? Who knows. More likely by luck than skill and judgement.
I know that the overall quality of the North Sea pilot workforce has dropped significantly. I see it when occasionally they come onshore to do a job and they need to have their noses and backsides wiped for them all the time. They tend to have very little decision making ability when there isn't a rule written down for them already. As for employing an ex North sea jockey - if you want to get the job done without a fuss don't bother.
Yes they do need paid more. Not because the people already doing it deserve more - most of them don't( although the few quality ones remaining do deserve it) but because the employers need to get a higher quality of choice from which to recruit for the future. You never know, one day before the oil runs out there may be a queue of high calibre pilots waiting to sit the selection tests for premium paid helicopter jobs and only the best will be picked. Do you see that pig flying past the window?