FRI to go... and loss of Flying Pay
Only recently heard about this, but thought it might kick off a quite emotive topic of discussion...
Hidden in the Defence Review of 21 July was the announcement that the Aircrew Financial Retention Incentive (FRI) is to be altered significantly. In a nutshell, the RAF will not get it anymore at all and the FAA will be taken on a case-by-case basis (ie they decide if they want to retain you...) I'm not sure if this affects the AAC or not. I'm sure there will be one or two rather disappointed people who thought they were short finals for a rather healthy pay packet. Bear in mind that the original DCI detailing the scheme indicated that it would run for 5 years from introduction (Apr '02).
Even worse is the news that if you PVR prior to the end of whatever commission you are on, you will now lose ALL your flying pay with immediate effect. This raises one or two interesting points. We've always had the system that if you PVR'd then you dropped one level of flying pay (ie if on higher rate, then you dropped to middle rate whilst serving out your 12 month's notice). This now seems to have changed, but I'm not sure when it will take effect from.
The points I would have would be:
1. If you lose your flying pay, will you be expected to continue to fly? If so, is this legal as I'm sure JSP550 talks about only being able to be crew in a military aircraft if either in receipt of Specialist Flying Pay or on a recognised flying training course. Otherwise you would have to fly as a passenger or supernumerary crew - is this possible in a single pilot aircraft?
2. If the powers that be decide to stop your flying pay, are you within your rights to refuse to fly if told to do so? You're not getting the flying pay, so they're not going to get the flying!
3. Is this legal? Indeed is the previous arrangement legal under European Law? I'm sure a good lawyer would have a field day with this one - can an employer penalise you financially just for putting your notice in? Total loss of flying pay would equate to a pay cut of around £11.5k if you're on the higher rate!
This obviously only applies if you PVR, so maybe some bright Civil Servant has pointed out that in order to retain aircrew, why pay them a retention bonus when you could achieve the same result in reverse by financially penalising them for leaving early? Obviously significantly cheaper too...
Or have I got the wrong end of the stick, and this is just another of Geoff Hoon's marvellous schemes to make the Armed Forces more capable in an ever changing world climate?