Conversely Jeepys, SAR rearcrew, many of whom were on £45-55K would still get that instead of the £35-40K they will be paid
The difference is that there is competition against N Sea wages for the pilots - although that might change following the crash in oil prices.
Louis Newmark - sorry, in answer to your question - over calm seas at higher heights the best service for the survivor and winchman will be provided by hover trim controlled by the winch-op rather than hover attitude and patter when it is flown by the pilot - even the new shiny helicopters don't give the pilot a view of what is happening underneath the aircraft.
Geoffers - according to your logic we should only rescue sensible, clever and well prepared people - that would cut out about 70% of UK SAR jobs. There you go , you have just saved the Chancellor several billion ££££s!