Perhaps we could just scrub flying pay and consider all aircrew as professional and have a separate, fully pensionable pay scale for pilots, no allowance at all.
I know that times are hard and there is little cash about but this could be funded by going further than simply creating an aircrew pay scale. It could be funded by scaling all officer trades in comparison with civilian life.
The precedent already exists with the Legal and Medical branches
Admin - secretaries. Good healthy saving there, especially in the sticks where most stations are.
Catering - MacDonalds shift manager, more savings. (Assuming the Nav Mafia hasn't wrapped this one up)
Supply - Matalan shop assistant, yep more savings
ATC - LHR vs Dundee. Some savings, some well paid, depending on posting.
And so the list could go on. After all, is there a need to pay all these other branches an 'officers salary' in this time of financial constraint and the need to dispose of all other elements of military tradition and stuff?
Clearly there is the 'we won't recruit the right calibre of individual' arguement; but did we ever?
And of course it's a tough out there. Well it's time to pay the piper and support aircrew properly because that's what all these other branches are there for. After all fast cars and expensive lifestyles are a sacrosanct perk of aircrew and if the Reds and Airshows and all the other good stuff go, how will aircrew attract doris' and create the next generation of greatness.
I leave you with this final point, Treasury and MOD financial policy should not be based on financial decisions personnel made 10-15 years ago based on assumptions about pay being a constant incremental beast, it's a new financial world, and frankly some are lucky to have a job.
Just a thought. Ho Ho Ho