Spot on Mr Hat
The flying for free debate has been doing the rounds for some time and yours truly was a major contributor to the affirmative as to whether or not we should be paid.
The old days of true skydiving 'clubs' where everyone was in it for the love of the sport are well and truly over. Today you are talking major financial investment in aircraft, facilities, marketing and skydive staff wages. However until recently the poor old pilot was left out in the cold and at many DZs was conned into the fact that he/she was getting a good deal by spending their own time and money to fly for free in a clapped out overloaded C182 or 206.
Ask yourself how many AFF or Tandem masters would do their job for free? I'd suggest none and nor should they. They have a huge responsibility for themselves and their students throughout the descent. The pilot carries a similar responsiblity from the time his meatbombs present themselves to the aircraft on the ground until they exit at whatever height.
It is good to see that the thinking around the country is changing in relation to remuneration and from info I have received, very few DZs are not paying anything to their pilots.