Originally Posted by
iRaven
Well that is incorrect for a start. A FJ Pilot that is 5 years out of an OCU today has probably joined in 2013. They hit Valley in around 2016 and graduated from an OpCon in 2018. Now in 2023, 10 years later, they would have spent 2.5 years as a Fg Off and 7.5 years as a Flt Lt. That puts them on £51,500 according to LJ’s post. They will be on Middle Rate RRP(F) of £10,161 per year - total £66,661. Next year they would transition to Tier 2 Rate 1 on the new RRP(F) which is £14,844 per year and they will go to the final level of Flt Lt of £52,868 - total £67,712. In 2025 they will go up another £1k in RRP(F) and be eligible for the first of 2x Aircrew Retention Payments of £40k. If they are a QWI on Typhoon there is also an additional £25k available for them.
Nothing like your £52.5k at all
Figures in last year’s AFPRB report:
https://www.gov.uk/government/public...st-report-2022
Flying pay is no longer payable until a pilot has completed 6 years post OCU. I accept the figures above, but they will
be consigned to history very shortly. A signing-on incentive is available at the 6 year point in return for a further 5 years service. So, very shortly, we will have pilots flying aircraft 5 years post OCU only being paid as a Flt Lt….top rate is £52500. To expand further, the FRI will be taxed at 40% and (above £100k income) 60%. The pension, while not bad is not as generous as previous schemes for those not able to choose anything other than 15.
To answer a previous post, there have been numerous attempts to retain pilots over years, starting with the introduction of a higher rate of FP and then an enhanced rate. Then an FRI in the late 1990s and PAS. Every attempt has subsequently been withdrawn or watered down (eg PAS restriction to level 30 for Flt Lt).
The sad thing form my perspective is the military is missing out in retaining experience (recruitment is never going to be an issue). Also, the taxpayer is shelling out for hugely expensive training for very little return. £5.25m to train a FJ pilot at the last count…for what? 10 years in the cockpit? 1000hrs? £5000 per flying hour…and most of that training to build experience….which is then let go.
BV was spot on, just pay what your civilian comparators as paying.