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Old 27th May 2006, 12:03
  #35 (permalink)  
Biggus
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: The Roman Empire
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This is a very thorny subject, and without defending them, PMA will never be able to please everyone. On the subject of FRIs, the amount offered will never be quite enough for some people, it won't be across the board, and inevitably somebody will miss the qualifing date by a few days and be pissed off. If 33+ yr olds are targetted then, for example, there will be 29 yr old ME captains/co-pilots who are attractive enough when the airlines are recruiting heavily and might well leave on the basis there may not be a glut of jobs when they get to their 16/38 (or 18/40) point. Airline recruiting has been cyclical in the past - whether that will remain the case, who knows?

Increasing pay (flying pay) will reach everyone, across all ages, but is it too expensive? Consider this, if pay goes up by £10,000 a year (over current levels) at say 38, then somebody staying in to 55 will get an extra £170,000 compared to today - look at it as a £170,000 FRI (£100,000+ after tax) but spread over 17 years. The above example was post 38, but flying pay could be increased as far back down the age bracket as the RAF wants to retain.

Unfortunately, increasing pay as per the example above means that when the RAF does not have retention as a priority then it is still paying out the money - but then that is where the retention at 38 (40) quota should manage your manning levels!

Of course increasing flying pay will further increase aircrew/non-aircrew friction, "you should have worked harder at school2 jokes, etc........
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