Yes, that's true. It amazes me how companies seem to have the idea they should be cheap all the time. Oil companies have the money and will pay the proper rate - they were certainly happy to keep a PA31 and pilot in Rainbow Lake for three days while a surveyor went to look at a burial ground!
I mean, if you go and talk to someone who is in charge of a fleet of trucks and JCBs, all of which are not cheap, and a lot more complex to operate, and tell him he can have a helicopter at not much above the DOC rate, don't be surprised if you get treated with a certain amount of disdain.
SASless - are those shortages on top of the "normal" shortages that companies have so the guys can have some overtime?
Phil