Torque, I understand that the OTE has no bearing on PAS offers; but from what I understood, anyone who accepted the OTE and shifted their IRD from 38/16 to 40/20, and was offered PAS this year, could still accept PAS based on their original 38/16 IRD.
If offered next or subsequent years, you'd move to PAS on your revised 40/20 IRD.
So if I were to be offered it this year and accept it I'd move to the PAS spine at 38. If I'm not offered this year but am next year, having accepted the OTE, I wouldn't start on PAS until 40.
2 years longer to mark time on level 9 Flt Lt, and 2 levels lower when you do subsequently leave. If PAS features in your future, I don't think the OTE is the best plan.
If leaving at 40 as a level 9 Flt Lt seems tenable, and you were planning on leaving at 38, then it give you a useful uplift in pension. If you're thrusting for promotion and a career then it's virtually moot, but those of us mulling the thought of PAS in the future? A bit more awkward.