QJK04, It's a pleasure to be of assistance.
I'm not due to leave, on my current contract, for another 10 years, however I can opt to leave at my 22 year point in 2.5 yrs, with an immediate pension at the age of 40. If I stay on I would be entering a very competitive market at age 47, bit old methinks.
I live in East Anglia so Stansted and Norwich are options, as is Cambridge. My preferred choice is Stansted, so leaving at age 40 would at least give me a chance at a second career.
Ops isn't the only avenue in aviation I'm considering however, there is bush pilot or crop duster in Africa or South America that appeal. Currently investigating this one but I feel that this might not be really practical given my age, eyesight, work permits and the type of flying I want to do. Wonder what the chances are in Alaska?
There is heaven forbid the option of staying in the RAF, but something tells me that I would be copping out and that one day I will wake up and review my life and realise that that was it.