Depends on the program,  I flew about 350-400 at UNC.

I average about 135-145 per year (including recurrent training)

All pilots at my base average about 120 hours a year.  It certainly is no place to build a lot of TT.

generally

HEMS is a place to bring experience, not build experience.

Well said.

But it seems your attacks are on the pilots who accept the jobs, not the operators who are bottom feeders.  Not all operators are.

These pilots, regardless of compensation, are often times more qualified and more proficient professionals than most.  Unless a pilot has done the HAA route, it is difficult to judge the challenging dynamic.  I've flown both sides, RW & FW. I can attest the dynamic in compensation and benefits in HAA is not on the pilots.  They are doing what they love to do to the most professional level they can.

Give the pilots a break and go after the bottom feeding operators.

V/r

Between 4 of us at my base, we average around 280 each. 

I flew HEMS for a little over six years.  I generally averaged 220-250 a year.  It really is Earn Money Sleeping.  If you're looking for a relatively easy job that pays... meh... okay I guess, it's a good job.  I DEFINITELY wouldn't commute for it, but if you live near your base, it's pretty low-stress.  Just don't get caught up in the drama.  Drama and p!ss!ng contests are for med crew... not for you. Avoid them.  

I averaged about 40  per year. That was 5 years ago. Amazingly the base is still in business and flying even less.  

Tree Fiddy!!!!!!!!!

D!pshi!t…

HAA as a retirement job.  Worked great.  Flying easy but be careful of distractions.  When you have to be a leader with the med crew be sure not to scree it up.  Usually they’re pretty good.  Avoid the drama at all cost.  Over 18 years we all averaged about 75 hrs/ yr.  If you need to build time go to the oil patch.

HAA as a retirement job.  Worked great.  Flying easy but be careful of distractions.  When you have to be a leader with the med crew be sure not to scree it up.  Usually they’re pretty good.  Avoid the drama at all cost.  Over 18 years we all averaged about 75 hrs/ yr.  If you need to build time go to the oil patch.

Ive been in utility for 20 years and its been 250-650/year. With an median of about 350. Ive heard of guys hitting 1000 hours, but not recently.

found utility the best work with reasonable people.  HAA probably just a retirement job.  Corporate where ya make money to pay bills and sort retirement via high pay that allows a lot of savings and social security build up to high payout on the back side of time.  Offshore overseas for 8 years was interesting but the flying became tiring - same instrument panel and same color inside cloud; 800 hours per year, lot of IMC.

Retirement job? Yeah f—- that sh-t. I’ll indeed fly after I retire, but it’s gonna be an either a Cub for fun or a Bonanza if the wife and I want to fly somewhere for a weekend and for some weird reason can’t non-rev. It’s RETIREMENT fellaz. Words mean things. Go enjoy it. Life’s too d@mn short to work the whole time.

when an airline pilot talks about retiring, he talks about what kind of airplane he's gonna buy and where he's gonna fly it.

When a helicopter pilot talks about retiring, he thinks in terms of walking down to the bridge and going fishing.

Very nice… for realz. What was it like as far as time away from home and quality of life? Was it seasonal? How many days a month were you generally on the road?