bobrun - newbie
bobrun,
oh yee of little faith;-) In 10 years time the retirement rate will go back to normal - ie, as it is today at around 50 pa. So half the commands from 10years on will be retiree replacements. For someone joining today I have estimated a 3 year delay - but that was optimistically assuming current growth rate and no SARs/9-11 events.
The growth required is hard to visualise conceptually - so to make it easy, we need to have 131 a/c by the end of 2009 and 202 a/c by end of 2016.
Anything less than those numbers will seriously extend time to command beyond the 12-13 years I have projected.
On bypass pay - since we don't have a DEFO 'deal' CX must pay bypass pay to SO's regardless of 42 months in company or not.
newbie,
there are 2 provident funds (ignoring cash in lieu and MPF) for CX pilots - CPALRS and CPAPF93(also presented as the BBS etc). CPALRS is the defined benefit scheme about 200+ A scalers are on. CX intends for it only to go till you are 55 and then you can choose to have your money in a holding account(flat interest rate) or in a fidelity style 'mirror' fund suite - ie money markets, equity funds etc. To be honest, it is in the best interests of guys who have done 17+ years to switch out of CPALRS and into fidelity anyway as even with the money market rate of about 5%+ they will get an extra 2 months a year on top of what CPALRS pays!
For everyone that joined since B scales and those A scalers that have switched out of CPALRS, there is no difference after 55 - you continue to choose from your range of fidelity fund options.
The 'flat interest rate' you speak of affects very few senior pilots and should no longer be an issue as CX now offers them more choices.
Onto RA - yes I have seen many people who were adamant that they were leaving early take an extra year or three to leave. I plan to leave early but depends on how many ex mrs cruncheros I can accumulate. Hopefully I won't delay anyone's command! After all thats why we joined....good money and quickish commands due to RA55 - well that was true in 1992.