Yep, the above is all true.
700-750 in the first year. That's about 70 a month on average at a North European base, bearing in mind in reality you only work 10 months a year. Friends in Southern Europe are all regularly doing 90-100 hours but I never got more than 80.
And I've noticed I always get paid slightly more than I expect.
No guarantees on hours. Word on the street is that PB uses a computer programme to bring pilots in each base to within 5% of each other. That can still lead to some huge variations. Also, you can expect more standbys at a small base.