SASless said, "I consider the helicopter to be a re-usable container...much like a shipping container for the engines and transmissions. I will try to keep it in good shape up and until it becomes useful in protecting my hide....at which point it becomes disposable. Thus I hold with Skin....Ticket.....Tin."
I don't want to sound argumentative because it seems to me that you have the right idea. The way I see it is "Skin..Tin...Ticket"
Skin: Save yourself, your crew, pax, people on ground below you, etc. (not implying any order)
Tin: Do the right thing to prevent damage to the helicopter.
Ticket: Obey every rule, do what your CP says, keep your licence.
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Nick, agree with what you said, but sometimes the obvious should be there. Fire in flight with what I'm flying reads "Fight fire...heater off...ventilate...land as soon as possible". During simulated emergencies I've seen people pass many a landing site while they discuss how to fight a simulated fire, then how to ventilate, instead of landing first and doing the rest if there's time. Sure, you could argue that it's the individual who's not thinking rather than the checklist that's wrong, but in some cases it's easy enough to change the checklist. ie "land as soon as possible...time permitting: fight fire..heater off...ventilate"