RN - Any regrets after leaving at age 38?

[Duncan Bucket]

Mainly for the Fleet Air Arm but possibly applicable to all:

Recent events have conspired to make me believe that my Career aspirations may not necessarily be compatible with service requirements.

First question, (directed particularly at those who completed a Medium Career Commission or CC as is now):
any regrets once outside ?

As a second question, I have heard that should you be selected FTC, and then chose to leave at what would have been your old Tx date, you would be financially 7% worse off, pension wise. Crewroom talk of course, but can anyone verify this? Couple that with the year you would have to do on reduced Flying Pay because you had PVR'd (is that right???), it seems more sensible to me now to stop trying to get FTC, finish my time and take the plunge after 19 ish years of service, with a nice gratuity and pension, and look forward to a new career.

Finally, if you did withdraw your "tick" for FTC, would the powers that be care or even notice? Will there be Brass hats running to the Squadron with suitcases of money, begging me not to go, or, as I suspect, it be left til I'm nearly outside before starting to coerce me to stay? Or even worse, they will just think I am a waster because of "questionable committment" and, to coin a phrase, make me fly rubber dogsh1t out of hong kong for my remaining years, discount me for any decent jobs/promotion and be glad to see me go?

Advice, anecdotes and banter gratefully recieved

[Si Clik]

Duncan,

First point as explained in a previous post is that the chances of FTC selection are better now than they ever have been. Expect a very long list in December.

Second point is you are right about the pension abatement for PVR vs leave at break point. However, if you stay at least 12 months after IPP you will get about the same amount.

Third FRI is in until at least 2007 and maybe even longer for FAA. Yes we do want you to stay very much and PVRs from the FAA these days get much personal attention.

Fourth, people who serve until there TX date are not second class, they are an essential element of the FAA we have always worked in. Not everyone can be 1SL or even FTC(A). If you were to leave we would really want you to join the RNR air branch and help out that way.

On going civilian remember as a helo pilot yu have plenty of money to spend getting a licence and your salary for at least the first few years will be no where near what you get at the moment. Talk to some of the RNR guys about civvy flying - I have had some pretty frank discussions about crap hours and boring flying but if you have had enough of low level excitment and variety then fine.

It is each to their own in this world and when your ready to go that's it. Personally I still love the job (even behind the desk) and have yet to be bored or p$*@£d off enough to seriously contemplate leaving.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Si

;)

[Duncan Bucket]

Thanks Si, and don't get me wrong, I really love the job too. Its just that I'm not convinced I will love it so much in later life. Its clear that a great deal of thought is going into retention, but I do wonder if not ticking that box will limit my options/chances and attract a negative label, but not make enough difference to change anything.

By the way, despite my reference to suitcases of cash, it has never been, and never will be, about the money.