A junior ACO or pilot will make less than a senior AEA. The pay scales in the RAAF are determined by your qualification and your time in the service. It's all on the ADF website. Until oct 2009, ACOs topped out at the highest pay group (pg10). ACOs in this group are paid the same as senior pilots. However aircrew joining after Oct 2009 Will not reach the highest pay groups unless they are promoted. This will breed a lot of resentment in about 10 years time, when we have aircrew doing the same job on the 'legacy' pay scheme earning significantly more than those on the new scheme.