PN - d’oh! Good point, post corrected to “length of service” not “age” - that’ll learn me not to type on an iPhone!
VR
As for the age of leavers, I'd be interested to see if that includes all GD branch, including hangar on staffers, or those who actually fly, and which stream. Those stats include pretty much the main cadre of VSO who will of course stay on till 55, or certainly much longer. 1* and above They account for 20% of the pilot cadre. see page 27. It also shows us down a whopping 23% for Junior Officer pilots.
I think you need a colour blind test me old. The 1-star and above cadre within the Pilot sub-branch is more like 2.5% of the total 2,010 liability for pilots. Rather than looking at page 27 (with all its colours) look at page 18 - the pilot liability is 2,010 and the number of JOs is 1,250 or 62%. If we add say 220 of the Sqn Ldrs (PAS and Flt Cdrs) and 50 Wg Cdrs (OC Ops and Sqn Cdrs) then we get a total of 1,520 or 75% being in flying jobs (not flying-related or “hangers on” as you like to call them). That is probably about right as after 4 back to back flying tours then most are ready for the respite of a “hanger on”tour as you like to call them
So I’m afraid that doesn’t stack up with your quote above.
As for the 23% gap, that is mostly in staff (or “hanging on”!) as the FL has been prioritised for maximum fill so many hangar-on posts are gapped or filled by other branches. We certainly aren’t that short on FL sqns as many complain about the paucity of flying hours they get each month!
I agree with BV, it is vulgar talking about the wages but I think it is important to dispel the myths. I believe that thinking ex-mil pilots will be anywhere near £120k after 3 years is unrealistic, and also not forgetting that PAS on level 35 will be about the same if you take the pension contribution on top (invisible to all) at the SCAPE rate of 52% then you are there or there abouts, plus the other allowances, medical benefits and subsidised housing (if you really want to live in one) which aren’t available to airline pilots.
Horses for courses?