Originally Posted by SailorVee
If you are ‘worried’ about the truckers , try 15 years ago, when having suffered an MGB chip warning, we had to shut down and await eng assistance. (A long wait as we knew that all the aircraft were out and we would wait until one and a crew were available. )
Speaking to the crane driver, (who was the HLO as a ‘secondary’ duty), I learnt that he was earning more than I was, (as an SFO with that company), BUT, he was also earning more than my Captain!
His ‘roster’ was 2 weeks on and 3 weeks off, he lived in France and his life was ‘rosy’!
But forget the grass is always greener crap, I suspect that he was binned to save costs when oil prices nose-dived, or at least replaced by someone cheaper, I have moved on and still have a job!
Had a quick chat with my mate the crane driving HLO. His trade, just as many out here is in such demand that he's getting £85K plus healthcare and company pension. Okay, he has to be at work for half the year, but compared to his old job before he went offshore (Army Catering Corps cook) he's not complaining.
Before I started offshore I did a couple of thousand hours driving Lynx, after getting all of my HGV tickets. I don't do that flying stuff anymore, as earning a pittance for driving a bus in a rubber bag didn't appeal.
As long as there are misty-eyed teenagers who think that being a helicopter pilot is glamourous, there will always be supply to meet a limited demand. The inverse applies offshore - few people want to work out here, driving up pay and incentives. Eight years ago an old colleague of mine did a stopover at the rig I was on. He was earning two thirds of what I was getting as a Radio Operator, my trade at the time, for driving a '76.
Stay safe.