Ok here we go light blue touch paper.........
Once again post pub night with ex mil mates another debate especially as it is POETS day and even I cant slide off this early.... with the boss still in!!!!.
One oil rig driver (capt) one HEMS driver (capt obviously) me a **** all driver but desk at the mo, a few pints and the debate starts. Why the HUGE difference in pay. Oil equals money clearly but when they actually got talking (on edge of fistymacuffs haha) about the ins and outs of daily jobs I was tending to lean with the HEMS mate.
Round one, no IR yes but single pilot sometimes in **** weather with loads of pressure to get job done, must be able to do limited IR in case of inadvertant IMC etc. Off shore mate fights back with crap weather, limited options over sea, company pressure for revenue flights etc ding ding.
Round two, Hems mate comes out fighting with no idea where your going to go on every job, managing banging round some parts of very clustered busy airspace etc etc, Rigs fights back with night pitching deck and 19 smelly oil rig workers who need to be somewhere or company getting big hit. HEMS comes back with small jab that some companies do HEMS at night with Police (not his). Ding ding.
Round three was mine but I am cheap and the bar was about to shut so we left.
I await your debate gents.......................