I still fail to see any change. If I look back at my log book for a random month in 1983 I averaged 40 hrs flying. Nowadays its slightly less but some months its up with that figure. In the 1980's I completed back to back deployments to the FI which entailed 13 months deployed in a 16 month period. That still happens but not as much.
PVR rates are much the same. In 1995 the PVR rate was 2%...there was a slight peak in 2001 which took it up to 4% but it soon came back down and is now 2.5%. So, no change there then.
But I have to admit to sitting in shareholders and looking at the young guys there who are just starting their flying careers and wishing I was them. Im not going to be around to see the introduction of SCMR and the new CVF and the new T45. Shame.
A new class of ship, a new aircraft, a new weapon system in the FSGW. Rather than a bleak future I think the future of the FAA and the RN is particularly exciting. Wish I was 20 yrs younger.