I have read the recent replies and the issues that I am making are not financially related, although I identify the helo pilot as a poorly paid individual, given his skills, qualifications, responsibility and experience etc.
The concerns really should be the long term future of the industry and safety. One industry specific group in the USA went through a disastrous accident rate as their industry grew so quickly without appropriate control and legislation.
By making duty times now operator controlled is a huge commercial benefit. However is it in the best interest of the industry which I predict does not have the maturity to manage fatigue over commercial needs. Furthermore the last person to know a pilot is fatigued is the pilot. Sure he identifies he is fatigued when he reaches the extreme levels. But should he be operating at the extreme levels when at any time he is faced with the need to have to make a complex decision or deal with a difficult emergency.
I belive that if the issue of duty times is thrown wide open and you can do what you like and stop when you are tired will result in a substanial increase in the accident rate. Maybe not tommorrow but soon or later it will catch up with us all and is that good for our industry?