Too many posts to comment on each individual one.
There seems to be a major issue over pay and the fact that somehow 'starry eyed' fools like myself are artificially keeping pay rates low. That may or may not be true. However, would employer X let me get into their new Hughes if I had a rating and say 300 hrs on the clock for £20 per hour or do you think they would give it to pilot Y with 3500 hrs on the clock for £60 per hour ?
I don't know the answer to this, but were it my helicopter, I'd probably transfer the cost to the customer and have the experienced pilot.
Another thing, if this is such a s..t industry to be in, why on earth did any of these 5000 hrs + pilots enter it or indeed stay ? Surely any of these people are savvy enough to get another, and better paid job ? Oh no, must be something to do with enjoying it ?
Well, I think I've just passed my class 1 medical. I have all the finance in place, I've crossed the 't's and dotted the i's, and I've accepted the gamble. If it all goes pear shaped, I'll bail out after the PPL(H).
BG