Interesting thread & a subject I have pondered often - I have a trade & once I had enough money from the mines to get my CPL(H) I moved into aviation & spent many years going broke - back to the mines for more money - back to aviation to go broke again - back to the mines for more money - back to aviation to go broke again, you get the picture. After a few years of this I was experienced enough to get "lucky" (read lots of hard work & humble pie) & became gainfully employed flying & earning reasonable money, but I could see that financially I was standing still while the world roared past me. 2 1/2 years ago I left aviation(AGAIN!!) & went overseas in the mining game & now I'm back in Aus, still mining & earning big bucks, company house, car, super etc, etc, etc. The mining industry makes you feel that they actually WANT you to work for them as opposed to many aviation companies which make you feel as though they are doing you a favour by giving you a job. Having said that, now that I am a little better off financially I spend a lot of time calculating how I can get my backside out of this office & back into a helicopter. It all comes down to what makes you tick, & fixing big trucks doesn't do it for me. Door #1 - Mining, great money, no job satisfaction, do it 'cause I have to. Door #2 - Aviation, love flying, variety of tasks, great satisfaction, just enough money to live on, do it 'cause I love it. My calculator says stay mining, my heart says go flying - I'll have to get back to you on which door I choose.