In which case, they really should be shooting for Member. It was an honest offer to help - sorry if you don't see it that way.
If I may quote the RAeS website...
Affiliate membership is for those with an interest in aerospace and/or aviation but do not work within these sectors
= Enthusiasts from outside of the industry.
The grading guide allows for pretty much any *type* of aerospace professional qualifications. If you're serving in the RAF at a level that gives access to an AVM, I think that you almost certainly do - even if it doesn't fit into the standard "engineer or pilot" mould. We allow all sorts in, even lawyers!, so a serving senior RAF officer or SNCO certainly qualifies. Odds are that the service will pay your membership fees as well - certainly MoD used to cover mine.
This may help:
http://www.aerosociety.com/Assets/Do...ipHandbook.pdf
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