Very good debate,
But surely pilots themselves are their own worse enemy. There was a comment previously about Doctors and Lawyers and the public not being preceiving Proffessional pilots as in the same category as Doctors and Lawyers, but isn't that down to education of the public, and raising their awareness of the role that Pro Helo pilots play in society.
By working for free it is not helping the cause for anybody, newwbies and oldbies alike, where does the working for free eventually end? Ok at the moment it starts with newbbies doing stuff for free to get 'a foot in the door' then that's never enough so then people start working for free for those operators requiring 1500+ hours, until ultimately those of you in your comfortable flying positions become threatened by newbbies (in the 5, 6 or more thousand hour area) saying oh we'll do that for free or a reduction in salary. Isn't that devaluing your position of pro helo pilots in the industry and in public perception. Consider that does joe public think of the 'proffessions' as a wow factor job like Doctor, Lawyer, Teacher, Pharmacist, Airline Pilot (oo sensitive area) purely in the basis of the job itself, or is in to do in some way the amount of money one gets paid. Look at clothes designers for example, they are not necessarily any better than your bog standard off the peg, but somehow the 'designer' has managed to market themselves as a desirable, ie putting the price up. How many times have you gone to a night club and been surprised at the entrance price, why is it, not because it's better than the local club down the road but it's perceived to be better because it costs more?
Now i'm not advocating unions, but there must be something organise that is to the benefit of all concerned in the industry newbbies and oldbies alike. Why not make use of organisations like BHAB in helping to raise awareness and perception of the whole, industry. how many of the general public look at helo pilots as rich a$$ posers? I would suggest quite a few, as the majority of the public are not aware of the roles helo pilots play in modern society.