Following your dreams  

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20221010-the-workers-leaving-their-dream-jobs

Best line out of the article: “And to some extent, the employers might know this and thus ask those dedicated and passionate employees to take on additional work or abide by dreadful conditions.” 

That's HAA in a nutshell and a decent reflection of the helicopter industry as a whole.  For those of you working sweet paying gigs with employers who care about you: congrats.  

For the rest of you: don't settle for work that will keep you a slave past retirement!  Do the math.  Find something else.  Especially when your job doesn't keep up with inflation or pay for the experience you actually bring to the table.

Recently left the helicopter world after following the helicopter dream for the past 20 years and happy to see it in the mirror.  Never thought I'd say that either. 

Better salary and better schedule make family life even better than any "dream" I was following as a pilot.  Wish I'd have realized it 10 years ago (sucky pay for the first ten years is fine... then reality hits you about kids, cars, house, grandkids, retirement, etc.).