My conversations with the Pension Gurus at Glasgow (not the Call Centre folk but the ones who actually seem to know) say that as PA you get either the OF2 or OF3 rate depending on your rank at retirement. As PA you should never get the Spec Aircrew figure - even if you PVR and leave before age 55. Unfortunately, the online calculator seems to use the Spec Aircrew rate for AFPS75.
A Flt Lt PA will retire on the representative Flt Lt Spec Aircrew basic pension plus the OF2 supplement, whereas a Sqn Ldr PA will get the CS Sqn Ldr pension plus the OF3 supplement. However, for those who retire with more than about 25 years reckonable service (i.e. from age 21 for officers) there isn't much between the Spec Aircrew Flt Lt and CS Sqn Ldr pension. The higher rate of supplement can therefore strangely mean that a Flt Lt PA can get more pension than a Sqn Ldr PA. I reckon about £2079 more for a pilot/nav/rearcrew retiring at 55.
Down 4 Reprogram
Thanks for your input. How totally bizarre that a Sqn Ldr PA Spine pilot will get £2000 less pension per year than a PA Spine Flt Lt, even though they have the same reckonable service and the same `base level` pension at age 55 (approx £24000).
Another reward for accepting promotion obviously.
Any chance you can find that enhancement rate link and post it here?