16 years in, 7 out. If you stay, you have to ask where you will be in say 10 years time. I loved the flying and banter but it would not have gone on forever. I reckon had I stayed I would have done one maybe 2 more flying tours and then still have had 14 years to go. I wouldn't have wanted to be the old git in the corner of the crew room that could no longer cut it. Initially you get more experienced, then you get old. Best case was to top out at low Air rank. For that to happen I would have had to sell my soul.
When I left the first thing I noticed was that I, literally, didn't have to rush around everywhere. Wifey couldn't believe it. I slowed down and started to relax for the first time in my life. I work for an ex-pat airline so I had a total break from the UK. I loved the new flying for a couple of years, all the new destinations, eye candy etc. Did my command and have got to the stage of now what. Financially, my total package is probably 3 times the amount I earned when I left; that can't be bad. I certainly don't have too many worries about the future from that point of view.
But at work...I am bored senseless! Doing training helps and I get to go places and do things outside of work that I could never have done before. I could become an office whaller but that takes me back full circle to where I would have been had I stayed. So whats the answer? I like to use one simple expression. I used to live to work, now I work to live. Simply, when you are in you take for granted the special environment that you live in but you also don't realise how limited it is. I don't miss the flying much. Occasionally I wish I could get a jet and hammer around the lake district but dicking around on ops sucked. When you leave it is different and with the airlines you have to derive pleasure from outside your job. As a sportaholic, I have been to a Super 14 game, the Ashes, Old Trafford and the World Cup in the last year.
Flying fast jets was the most rewarding and exciting experience of my life to date. But as others have said before it can't go on for ever. If you do hang on to 55, what then? You will probably leave as a (relatively) poor office mate. By leaving now you lose the flying but give yourself numerous options for the future and the potential for a far richer life. I am planning to use the airlines to make enough cash to branch out and do something completely different on my own. I hope that will keep me interested for years to come.