Sorry Gorilla -I think you are wrong.
There are people that left the RAF and came back in - and are still flying. There are also lots who left with civvy licenses and are still flying outside. Perhaps your point was that you don't know any personnaly.
We've had three pages of rumours and some serious slagging of at the way PMA are managing the situation but has anybody any proof that there is actually a crisis at the moment? I agree that the (premature) cessation of air eng trg and the inevitable delays to new a/c will cause problems in the future. This will require some radical initiatives. Searching out former FEs from distant corners of the RAF and re-training a WSOp(Any) who looks suitable would seem the way ahead. I can't think of any better way and re-opening the school in it's former guise is a non-starter.
I also know for a fact that there are air eng's in ground tours which the system is preventing from returning to flying or extending their service. Hope there's a change in policy before the individuals are gone for good.
IF