Meurig
Like yourself I considered the RAF and was put off by the "officer first, pilot second" view from RAF Biggin Hill OASC. I have often looked back (I'm now 31) and wondered if I wasn't being naive/short sighted in not pursuing that option and putting up with stuffy officer protocol (learning how to squash peas on the back of ones fork so as not to embarass oneself at dinner, didn't appeal to an 20yr old straight from a 2yr booze up at polytechinc).
If you want to fly that much go for the RAF/Navy/Army, if I had had a crystal ball I would have gone for the RAF, simply because of the flying training, the opportunites to travel the world and the type of machines you get to fly.
I'm now a self employed contract avionics design engineer on corporate jets and earn a good wage but still struggle to fly as much as I want to especially as I want my CPL(H) eventually.
The point you put about aeronautical engineering is a good one as my line of work interfacing avionics such as EGPWS, TCAS, FMSs, RVSM (definately not for helis) SSRs etc gives me an inciteful view as to how the systems interact and not just how to operate them (this will help in the CPL/ATPL ground exams).
Hope this is some help
Good luck
NigD