Oh yeah....better believe it. Time is gold. Forget floating helis, I think a days sailing in the bay is in order....as soon as I can get a couple of free days together to clean it and service the bearings on my trailer.
We all like our vacations. Plenty of time for to take a gap for a quality break. You could ski a month overseas and still work for five weeks of your leave and/or generous time off associated with the current VPAW shift models.
The point I make is that the "similar" money is there if you want to work similar number of weeks a year. Not for everyone. AND there are a significant number of VPAW and others who actually do run viable businesses and ski (cheaply midweek) as well.
(The chaser has given me a bit of a guinness rush so indulge me as I drift off topic a bit).
A change is as good as a holiday and whether you fly to gain more ticks in the box or run a XXXX video shop or send racehorse rations to bongo congo racing club, then money is there for reasonable effort.....as it should be.
I can't think of any offshore guys working 7 days out of 14. That may be the time they are at work, but my intell from "The Tiger" is that 7's a minimum and they also do up to 36 hrs on night standby as well in a fortnight. 0700 to 1700 is 10hrs.....then times 7 or 8 equals better than 70 hrs a fortnight at work plus 36 standby, so about 106hrs available to work, some whilst sleeping.....I don't hear them making choking noises about it, but. The contract F/O there will probably need to watch F&DT limits as they don't have the n/standby.
Tourers, live more like 15/13days or worse 6/6weeks, 7/5weeks and at post away from home for the full period. No six weeks A/L in the touring world I think. If we are thinking they "just" work six months a year that's something we should refer to them, partners and loved ones.
The SPIFR EMS side of the world are available for very long periods during the working roster with 14hr standbys prior to 24hr duty shifts, three times in 6 days with 3 days FOD. That works out to be 88 hrs a week available for duty (38*3, /9,*7) Some would choose this lifestyle but once again not for everyone and certainly not for the fainthearted! Again although some is done sleeping, I don't hear too many offshore guys scrambling over themselves to get into this.
Pretty much, I reckon that all these things have pros and cons. If it feels good then do it....discretely as necessary.
As for Moi....hmmm. my glass has become warm, can someone top me up..
DD
PS On topic Oh yeah, I reckon Docklands would be the obvious choice for relocation of VPAW. YMMB is too South centric as lots of villians live in the North and West as well. Fewer Nav and Radar fees, central to major CBD events, nice transport access, higher visual profile, better noise acceptance. I would above all suggest that the viability of police aviation would be enhanced by the likelihood of the crooks being caught because of it.
(edited because I misspelt Guinness)