Gents, thank you for your thoughts, that puts a little more context for me. I did ask what types he’d flown, and he avoided that question which was what tweeked the ‘Waltometer’, which is particularly relative to the original discussion. Perhaps if he’s still emphasises he was an RAF ‘Pilot’ I should thank him for his 15 years service, especially the eleven with the Rozzers..
If his career was cut short medically i’d have a good degree of sympathy, but 30+ years later I’d wonder why you’d paint the picture you were a Pilot, rather than you started as a pilot and for whatever reason changed career path, staying in the service.