It will be interesting to see what the future does hold for the AAC. Will JHC be all consuming? NCO pilot cross-pollenation? Not sure that will happen. Can't see too many Flt Lts being too happy at being a co-pilot for a Sgt aircraft commander in a Chinook. Certainly given the reasonably high resignation rate of AH officers if it wasn't for the NCO's the capability would struggle. Not that it's not doing already judging by some of the manpower % quotes earlier. Oddly enough, it was a 100% NCO crew that carried out the Jugroom Fort rescue earlier last year. That's not to say that had both aircraft been crewed by commissioned dudes that the same decision would have been taken. The mission commander is now commissioned but that's irrelevant. I gather he was debating jumping ship to the blue suits at one stage but has maintained his allegiance. I wouldn't have thought that his decision to stay was based on a potential windfall.
Hats off and respect still go to those maniacs that crew the Chinooks that have to cruise in and land under immense fire when going into places such as Musa Q, et al. Now you do deserve your flying pay and operational bonus. I would load my PAX premiums though.