It's rather ironic how much flexibility there is with the HMRC Statutory Residence Test if you turn the OP's situation around and wish to have a residence in the UK and commute and work for a long haul operator that is based outside of the UK.
I doubt there would be many who would refuse the ability to legally pay less tax if any at all, given the opportunity presented itself. It will not take a mathematician to invest the surplus capital and achieve a far better return than one would earn through the state!