gulliBell, you guys down in NZ have quite high ratio of heli pilots per capita and that's before we count all the 'emigrees' to Australia in search of more low timer jobs and warmer pastures.
Are you sure those guys you mention, high timers without job right now, are happy to relocate to ME or Asia?
Regarding the demographics, I'd say it's not as much due to Vietnam etc, but rather reduced flow of military 'retirees' to civvy flying and amount of new helicopter ops, contracts, HEMS bases etc. Couple that with ever-increasing cost of initial training and various 'bits' after (time or ratings).
Well, in the USA, there are many low timers or relatively junior instructors these days thanks to the ex-mil personnel getting grants/sponsorship towards career retraining. NZ has seen funding/loan availability for few big schools offering academic and flight training for fixed wing or heli, hence more lowtimers there on market, too. Definitely at least more jobs in NZ and Australia for people starting out, compared to some European countries.
I saw presentation slides (CPL/ATPl holders per age or total in country and HEMS pilots age, not some school marketing) for certain Central European country. If the mins stay as they are (not that high for twin PIC EMS jobs), in 3-5 years they'd have problems to crew bases. Even heard of suggestions of mandating HEMS as multicrew on EC135 in the ops regs to make the staffing easier.
Jobs and opportunities vary from country, company to timing/year or minimum flight time/ratings. While it may be hard to get job in one country, not as hard in another, if one can 'fit in'/relocate.
Last edited by MartinCh; 22nd Jan 2013 at 22:37.