Let’s hear from the pilots  

I worked for a utility operator (little bit of everything. Fires, Ologiest, Game Tagging, etc...) for about 3 years and I've been in HAA for 5 now. 

Utility: I loved it, I would have loved to continue doing that type of work. Pay was meh for the company I worked for but you can make it pretty well off if you stay somewhere good. Schedule sucked big donkey B@!!s. I wasn't at the biggest operator, but was basically pulling 12 on 2 off 16 ish hours each day for 6 - 7 months straight and then it would slow down for winter months. But, that schedule just wasn't maintainable for me or my family. Myself and another guy asked if we could switch to a 14/14 rotation and were denied. So, I'm sure this is company dependant and if you get in with the right company it is probably worth it. But for me, the Schedule and Pay were not enough for it to be worth it.

HAA: Pay is absolute dog doo doo everywhere! I worked for a complete joke of a company at first, but have since moved to one I very much respect and have been treated very well at. Get in with the right progam and location and it's a pretty good job. It took quite a bit of effort for me to get used to the amount of flying, going from the Utility schedule to the HAA schedule, I got pretty bored in the begining, but have since realized I enjoy not flying more than flying 8 hours a day, and now I have time to do little side projects and everything else while waiting for flights to come in. It's been pretty nice. Only complaint I have is the pay. I really really wish the pay would get up there with what I think is a respectable amount.