FRI Application Details

[The English Passenger]

I realize that some of you are going to be annoyed about the FRIs announced in the AFPRB report 2010. However, as one of the lucky buggers, i am after any info fellow prooners may have regarding the application process for the £80,000 OF2 FRI that starts as of today.

I am aware of the OF3 application form from the previous FRIs, but no-one at my unit, or at HQ Air, seems to be able to direct me as to how the process is going to work for the OF2's like me.

As i am rapidly approaching my IRP/IPP in the next few weeks, any help on this would be appreciated.

It appears at present that they have announced it, but have no idea of how to administer it, why am I shocked?

Thanks for any responses in advance.:ok:

[Lima Juliet]

I seem to remember that my FRI 1 used the same form as my FRI 2. As this is effectively FRI 4, I would expect the same form again?

By the way, don't get too excited, your £80k will be about £46k after tax and NI!!! Which after the 5 year RoS means about £9k extra a year over that period :{

My £50k FRI2 was about £29k after all the taxes and thus about £6k/yr over 5 years.

Not grumbling, though, it kept Mrs LJ happy for a fortnight!!!

LJ

[TheInquisitor]

I too would like info on this.... so far nothing has been forthcoming through the usual channels. Anyone?

[Green Bottle 2]

If PSF can't help, have you tried your desk officer? Try and elevate it to the Chf Clerk / OC PSF / OC PMS if you have had no joy with the SAC on the desk. Point out to OC PSF/PMS that it is their job to administer the scheme on your behalf. Ithink that I ended up getting the forms

It may be that the revised paperwork for the FRI hasn't caught up yet as the AFPRB has just been published.

Apologies if I'm teaching you to suck eggs, but I had to do some digging and badger people to get the paperwork a couple of years ago.

GB2

[Arty Fufkin]

This particular FRI is available to Flt Lt pilots at their pension point (16/38). In other words, it is only available to those on the PA spine or considering accepting a PA offer. I seem to remember that opinion about this was canvased some time ago as PMA were accutely aware only 16%that PA spine offers were being accepted.
The timing of this FRI at least shows that they are thinking ahead and planning to control the exodus in 18 months / 2 years time. £80,000 is a fair old wedge, but is it worth 5 years seniority in an airline? Discuss....... ('cos I'm stuck!!):confused:

[The English Passenger]

Arty Fufkin, "£80,000 is a fair old wedge, but is it worth 5 years seniority in an airline? Discuss....... " is a very fair question.

However, in the current economic climate there are NO jobs outside, and I am not optimistic enough to believe all those who say 18 months to two years time will be a bed of roses. If you look at the BALPA figures of the number of unemployed ATPL holders with type ratings that are out there at the moment (or look on other proone threads), the picture starts to look a little more brown coloured to my eyes.

I for one am very happy to have taken PAS and have a very secure income for the next few years. I was going to hedge my bets with the PVR option in a few years (AFPS 75 pension so easy to do), but even with Leon Jabachjabicz's figure of £9K extra a year for the five years after tax (which is about correct), the FRI still puts me on a salary of £70K plus a year for the next five years (guaranteed). In the current climate that is definitely the right move for me, the ball and chain and the rugrats. Five years is not that long to commit for, and 43 is not too old to get another job outside (not the majors I agree but plenty of opportunities for experienced stick monkeys with other companies).

I hate CCS, fitness tests, career ticket punching colleagues and senior Officers, the sunny places (and I do spend a LOT of time out there every year before anyone asks) etc. as much as everyone else , But if you can find me a guaranteed job in the airline industry on £58K a year (topped up to £70K by my pension), that is secure for 5 years with no chance of redundancy, then I would take it, but I believe that such a job is just not reality in the industry at the moment and in the future.....UNITE will see to that soon enough by helping O'Leary etc kill the industry.

Don't Know about the rest of you but my family comes first, well before my petty issues with my employer about T&Cs.

It's a no brainer at present IMHO...preparing to be shot down!!!
:ok::D

[skaterboi]

Seems like a reasoned and sensible decision fella.

The only fly in the ointment as far as I can see would depend entirely upon which fleet you're on. I'm assuming your AT and we do have a few legacy fleets right now coming up for the chop in around 3-5 years :(

But if you're fleet is safe it sounds like the right choice for you and your family.

[TheInquisitor]

This particular FRI is available to Flt Lt pilots at their pension point (16/38). In other words, it is only available to those on the PA spine or considering accepting a PA offer.

The wording in the AFPRB report suggests it will be offered, for a short window, to all Flt Lts approaching their IPP - This would make sense as a short-term stop-gap to prevent the predicted manning crisis in 18 months to 2 years. Does this mean they are going to offer a 5 year extension on current TOS to everyone, or they are going to offer PA to everyone for a short time?

[Arty Fufkin]

No mate, It's like I said. It's an extension of the current senior officer's 100k FRI reduced by 20% and offered to JOs under the same terms. You do however require the facility to stay beyond your IPP in order to do the 5 years. The only way to do this is by accepting a PA offer, and not many of those were given out. Indeed only the most talented and best looking pilots were offered it.

[skaterboi]

Indeed only the most talented and best looking pilots were offered it.

Inquisitor, that's you out then chap :E

[TheInquisitor]

On both counts... :}

[ProfessionalStudent]

I had it confirmed by my deskie that if you're past your IPP (even by a few days :mad::mad::mad:) you won't get a penny. Gits.

Oh well. Vive la Revolution and all that.

[The English Passenger]

Professional Student - My Commiserations (sp?), I know a little of how you feel, I missed the 33 Yr FRI 5 years ago by a few weeks when like they cancelled it just before my 33rd birthday, thankfully I lucked in this time.

Back to my original post, as we are now past 01 Apr, there must be people whose IRP is even sooner than mine (4 weeks away) that are in danger of going past their IRP before being able to submit any application form (as it does not seem to exist yet)...anyone got any info at all, or do we need to keep firing e-mails to the pay & pensions people at Air Cmd until they pull their finger out and do their job properly (what am i talking about....that will never happen, all too busy looking after their own careers to give a S*@t about anyone else!).

:eek:

[ProfessionalStudent]

There has been an Admin Instruction emailed out by the deskies which has all the rules and the application form. PM me if you need it emailed to you direct...

ProStude

[Solent Trout]

I scan read the Admin Instruction when I saw it hanging in a corridor, and although I am happy with the term IRP/IPP, it also used the term "Early Decision Point" (EDP). It refers to this several times, but I've never heard of it - the only thing I could imagine it would be is the 12 yr option for graduates, but surely it's not!

Anyone shed any light?

[NP20]

It is new pension speak (i.e. AFPS 05) for Immediate Pension Point which under the old system was your 16/38 or 22 years for Airmen; under the new Scheme it is 18/40 for all. Link below will give you more guidance:

http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/A2D4F80F-6FA9-4E2D-B40E-AA84BAD9D500/0/jsp764_part2_amend2.pdf

Attended a very interesting brief from the Forces Pension Society recently; if you have any questions/doubts issues about your pension you may wish to consider joining - their web address is The Forces Pension Society (http://www.forpen.org/)

[Solent Trout]

Thanks for that. I see it is EARLY DEPARTURE PAYMENTS, and doesn't apply to me as I am on the old pension. Cheers :ok: