Rotormad,
1. You are Mad if you don't check out
www.heli.com
2. You are Mad if you believe that you have to do your flight training in Britain in order to get a job in Britain.
3. You are Mad if you don't think NOW about how you are going to get your first 1000 hrs,because without these crucial hours you'll get nowhere.
4. You are Mad if you don't do some really thorough research on potential flight schools world wide.
5. You are Mad if you don't look into the visa situations within these countries.
I started flying in the mid 1990's at age 26 in the US. I left the country 2 years later with a CPL(H) and CFI and around 1000 hrs of mainly instructing.Back to the UK to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a minute amount of flying between 5 and 10 hours and a slog through the CAA exams then straight into the North Sea.I stayed there for a few years then got myself a real helicopter flying job
,still in the UK.
Be prepared for dissmissive comments eg. "a US licence isn't worth the paper its written on"
However when I was in the North Sea there were up to 8 pilots that I knew personally from HAI.
Bristows obviously think its cheaper as they transferred their training to HAI.
Some people will tell you that you're Mad to start flying helicopters in the first place.
Some people will tell you to spend your money on a fixed wing licence (they may have a point).
All the best with your choice,its an important one.