Gordy,
The impression you give is that you seem to wear your "Hard Ardous" schedule like some kind of badge of honour. The real question is should you be working that hard operating a helicopter in a fairly hazardous environment.
Agree with everything you say. I am somewhat an advocate of safety and CRM these days. But also expect people to work hard.
The point I was trying to make is that we work more than 4 or 5 hours in a day. If you work a hard day, expect to get paid for it. I work 12 days on and 2 days off for about 8 months each year...this is by choice, the rewards and benefits will come one day.
Typically, this is the normal work schedule for 4 months of the year for people working fire contracts in the US. During that time, you "could" be working 14 hour days-----this was my point I was trying to make. Luckily for me, the managers on the contracts I work, have a 100% attitude towards safety and crew rest. I have NEVER been asked to fly if I felt tired. There are other safety factors built in.
Not trying to get the "badge of honor"....just trying to give an idea of the "working pilot" vs the impression "some" people may have of us. We DO work for a living.....