I think a lot of the posts in here answer your questions. I'm doing the same as ironcheffley, and I left as a TG1 sootie four years ago. I did my B1.3 License and I haven't looked back since. I get paid well, but my company expects me to earn this, most of the time
. All management want is a serviceable aircraft at 6am on a monday morning, ready for the first rig trip of the day. It's big boy rules on the outside and you have to be ready to make the decisions that matter. There is no rank structure, you're on your own, or if you're lucky, a couple of apprentices to tag along and clean things for you!!
It is different, but the basic stuff of taking an aircraft apart and rebuilding it are the same. Once you get your head round being an LAE and not being in the mob anymore, it is a far better life, with a common sense approach to things being much more prevalent.
If you are going to make the step, do it sooner, rather than later. The step isn't that big and your RAF experience does count for a lot, just don't talk about it all the time and you'll get on fine.