All good things come to an end; if you have had a great career in the RAF then it's a difficult call as to when you should quit. I found civvy life an absoulute breath of fresh air to start with and I don't regret my PVR. However, airline flying comes with a few health warnings.
1. Instability. My first airline went bust just after I had converted to a new type. With 66 hours on a shiny wonder jet I was fully trained and fully inexperienced too. No one would touch me for a year and then I had to catch up with the fag end airlines. I was seven years in the wilderness before getting on the rung of the ladder with a good firm. 9/11 started the 'P45' routine all over again but with a family in tow.
Be warned: keep one years bills in cash all of the time.
2. Relationships. Bad rosters = bad relationships. Incontravertable fact. My best mate is on his third marriage and the only hosties he ever poked were the ones he married. The airlines caused the break up's by comprehensively trashing his home life. Try working ten away three at home, five away in different time zones. You can be back at home but just not with it.
Watch you six at interview: airlines know that you want a good lifestyle and will lie through their teeth at interview to get you.
3. Legal. It's a fact, the bottom line in civvy street is legal. I have been (unsucessfully) sued over a techincal breach of contract and it was very unpleasant even though I was well supported.
Get legal insurance (BALPA, ALPL) AND DON'T SIGN A CONTRACT UNTIL SOMEONE HAS GIVEN IT THE ONCE OVER.
4. Health. You can't get away from it. The job is stressful for the best of them. An FO of mine flew 13 missions in the Gulf War 2. Splendid, irrepressible guy and a credit to his country. Notwithstanding I saw him get severely dicked around by the company and getting pretty het up as a result. Another FO (20 years on Phantoms . . .) completely dumped his brain on a go around. Try operating, gear, flaps, radio and low altitude capture all on your own . . . Again, a thoroughly chipper, competent bloke working at his limit.
Don't underestimate the job. Stress and heart desease are the two biggest reasons for losing your licence.
Find a good loss of licence policy.
5. The job. Flying the jet is five per cent of the job. You are paid to make consistently safe, commercially viable decisions on the hoof. It can be a very commercial environment these days. Whatever you do protect the licence in your pocket. The company can sack you but the CAA pulls your licence. You can always get another job. I've had ten. I've had some seriously tough decisions to make on the way. Crewing Clerk threatens that you will not get a command if you don't fly into discretion even though you are past being knackered . . .
Finally, we all have egos. No one wants you to know that they have a bum deal. Ex mates often tell you it's great where they are. Read through the lines when making your decisions about who to work for.