Not forgetting that 20 years is just slightly more than 1/5th the lifespan of the RAF so far!! So it's not exactly 'mere' in my opinion. Those that have served over 32 years have been in for 1/3rd! I would say that the change in the RAF in our 98 years is pretty colossal given the short time of existence.
As for advice. As a SO (without the V) I have always offered something along the lines of:
Look after yourself, the Service is too large and unweildy to look after you. At the start you don't give two hoots about the money but as you get older, and collect a spouse, house, kiddies and loans to pay for it all, you will. So throw yourself at it in your early days - heart and soul - and don't expect it to make you rich. When you get older you may need to tone down that enthusiasm and share your service with your family. When you or they stop enjoying it, and only you will know when that is and it will be quite apparent, then start to look elsewhere. But remember that you will miss the good things that serving offers, so make sure you are truly ready as I've known those leave and then rejoin as they realise they were not ready. Finally, don't expect HMForces to make you richer than the average Joe, but in retirement the pension may make life a lot more comfortable for you in the longer term. The decision is entirely yours...
I would judge that most posting on here are at the point where they need to tone down that enthusiasm and look elsewhere. Flying a bunch of holiday makers or business people in a ~300-seat flying bus might pay better, but after a while it will start to get boring. I only have to look at my mate's posts on Face-Ache to see that and how they fill their time on their days off doing something that will fill the void. How many pictures taken through the HUD of an Airbus can you post over so many years until it gets a bit too repetitive? Many of them use the extra cash to fly more exotic types during their days off to stave off the daily drudge of the Boeing Boredom Fighter.
Is RAF aviator pay about right? I believe so. However, it is the terms and conditions that have started the rot. Too many dets to the sand-pit to the same old places, reductions in standards of accommodation, loss of allowances, 1% (or less) pay rises making all feel under valued and increases in trivia burden (JPA, overuse of emails, currency/courses for just about everything, etc..) are the real driving factors when coupled to average pay. Death by a thousand cuts? Definately...
LJ