Hi Gold,
You're right , it's a really complex situation , it is a private operation in the eyes of the law requiring a PPL and there are other similar operations like glider clubs .
Pilots are a commodity whether we like it or not , if there's an oversupply and people are fighting to stay in the race to get a full time job and they can afford to live by other means they will fly for nothing as they see it as a way of staying current and building hours until something better comes along. And as a 'commodity' if there was a shortage of pilots and the drop zones had a choice of paying pilots or shutting down ops they would pay.
The bigger drop zones pay because they have expensive equipment and high work load for the pilots and to get the skills they want they can't get it for free. Some smaller drop zones pay because they think it's fair that everyone makes a dollar. There will always be those that will want to get their pilots for nothing.
If you have tried all other avenues for real employment 'up north' but you are way short of hours and if you can get 200 to 500hrs under your belt in 12 months dropping meat bombs without pay and if the alternative was letting your training and currency lapse and it was all for nothing I'd do it. After you've done your 12 months go looking again for a job.
When I flew skydivers 20 yrs ago nobody criticised me for flying at the DZ for free , I also ferried aircraft , met farmers at outer airports and guided them through the lane of entry to Parafield , drove the fuel truck (got paid for that) and did whatever I could to get different experiences. Meat bombing is a good skills builder also.
Everybody's situation is different and there's not always jobs 'up north' or we have a wife and kids at home and are not in a position to just pack bags into the back of the wagon and head off looking for a job. Pilots are supposed to be able to make command decisions and this sort of call is a command decision for your own circumstances.
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Last edited by aseanaero; 21st Aug 2009 at 15:47.