Yeah, no joke. I was lucky when I got out of college, I worked for Rocketdyne in Canoga Park (Los Angeles). They had a program that they would pay 50% of whatever schooling you would enrole in, didn't matter what it was. I had wanted to get my license (Rotary wing) for a long time, but could never afford it. When this opportunity came up, I jumped on it LOL!
I bought that 206 back in '94 (it was an '88), and got a fantastic deal on it. It was owned by a news station in Florida, and they had to unload it.
I used to take all my friends on rides if they would chip in for fuel and maintainence, going to Catalina Island after work for dinner was my favorite thing to do. Flying along the coast at 15' above the water at sunset is what I miss the most