Dunc Good point, well made. No idea. Not many I would guess but none should and the scheme shouldn't be going up that far. It's the armed forces for God's sake, you keep guys who are above 40 and are in senior ranks if they are good in the management role, not to be pilots, and certainly not if you're axing loads of young guys who are the future.
My point about pilots in their 30s providing the experience that is obviously needed is surely right though, as is the point that keeping guys in who are in their 40s is just turning promotion into dead man's boots and making the guys in their 30s, who you surely dont want to lose, decide enough is enough.
High spirits. This is not RAF bashing. I told you in my earlier post, which you seemed at the time to accept. The army was never in the FRI extension that is currently in place - that's in the document - and the RN have pulled out, that is not me saying it, it is confirmed by the MoD.