Commission Salary Question

[BUDGIE]

Hi all,

Joining the RAF on a 12year commission as pilot without a degree what should the incremental standard salary increase and promotion increase be? I see a starting salary just shy of 12k rising to 27k as Flt Lt. So basically going fast jet how quick should one expect to be up at 27k and eventually achieve Flt Lt.

Cheers all

BUDGIE

[Green Bottle]

Are you sure it's 12 years - I may not be fully up to speed with the current terms and conditions but I suspect you are being offered a Permanent Commission (PC) which is until either 38 years old or 16 years service from 21 years old, whichever is the later. There is a 12 year option to leave i.e. 12 years reckonable service from 21. So if you're 21 or younger then your option is at 33.

You should make Flt Lt in 5.5 years from start of commission. You also, once qualified, will get flying pay on top of your salary. The current pay rates are here:. . <a href="http://www.mod.uk/linked_files/afprb_2001_appendix1.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.mod.uk/linked_files/afprb_2001_appendix1.pdf</a>

and the current flying pay rates here

<a href="http://www.mod.uk/linked_files/afprb_2001_appendix2.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.mod.uk/linked_files/afprb_2001_appendix2.pdf</a>

You will enter at the Lieutenant rate in the list i.e. just under 12K once you've completed Officer Trg. Once you qualify as a pilot and join a Sqn, you will get flying pay as well.

If you are still unsure about anything, place a reply on this topic.

[BUDGIE]

No I can apply for short service initially as pilot which is twelve years and then extend if they'll let me to 16 years so I can get my pension. But as I never got my degree I was aware I wouldn't get paid as much and wasn't sure how much less nor was I sure how less quickly I'd get promoted.

Cheers for the links and info tho'

BUDGIE <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[Flt Lt Spry]

The current retention initiative will postpone the qualification for the payment of flying pay to post OCU. If you are quick, don't have any holds or medical recourses and pass every course first time, starting Cranditz to OCU grad takes just under four years. Without a degree, you will still be a Flying Officer at this stage with about another two years before making Flight Lieutenant.

The money isn't the best but the flying certainly is...

[BUDGIE]

What if I was to be streamed multi....would I find promotion would be quicker to Flt Lt?. .My apologies if I seem focused on financial benefits, I'm not! I just want a clearer understanding of my situation. Particularly with rgds to promotion.

Thanks

[opso]

Promotion up to Flt Lt is on time rather than on merit and so it will make no difference whether you are FJ, ME or RW.

There is scope within the system for 'exceptional' individuals to promoted early, but I can't think of a single aircrew mate that has benefitted from this - only adminners, whose bosses know how to fill out the appropriate paperwork. In fact, it appears that only useless adminners don't get accelerated promotion to flt lt (so AG had best get used to being a fg off!).

[Dr Schlong]

Get saving for IOT as well;

Poor pay + loads of functions + time in the bar = a poor Officer Cadet each month.

Expect to take home £600 (ish) whilst on IOT, with mess bills (CHOM must be the most expensive mess in the Air Force) easily over £100/month. Hope this is of help as it came as a shock to me!

[peterward]

Don't just save for IOT! Until you get to Fg Off, the pay is pretty average and you'll be socialising with ex-uni guys earning a lot more than you. Toss in a few ex-navs for good measure and expect to live beyond your means for the first 2 years of RAF life!!! However, speak to your bank manager. I managed to wingle a Graduate acct with Lloyds Bank by saying I'd "graduated" from the Royal Air Force College. You qualify for a low apr loan and a huge interest free overdraft for 2 years, which helps until you leave the slave wage. Anyway, good luck-I know you'll enjoy!!! <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

[BUDGIE]

So let's say I have only one year to go for my degree. Would it be even worth trying to get a delay until I get my degree next year?. .Or am I simply a chancer :)

[Spugford]

Budgie - It's def. worth sticking out your degree if it's only for a year, if not only to save your weary shoulders from carrying a large chip around during IOT, where you carry enough cr*p as it is, but also the accelerated promotion given to graduates is v. tasty indeed.. . <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[ 20 February 2002: Message edited by: Spugs ]</p>

[james_heeps]

Budgie,

Having recently seen a presentation by a senior bod from the Aircrew Retention scheme, I understand that in the near future all new pilots will be accepted on Permanent Commissions only. So it may be worth deciding you want a PC anyway before they force to you to "take it or leave it".

I definitely agree with Spugs - finish your degree off before joining. Having already spent 2 years at uni you will be nowhere if you quit now - you won't have the youth of the post-'A' level entrant, who gets to Flt Lt aged 23-24, and you won't have the promotion rate of the graduate, who also gets Flt Lt at 23-24. You'll be more like 26!

As regards flying pay, under the current system you become eligible after 72 weeks of flying training - for my ex-JEFTS colleagues this has worked out as being about 22 months after they completed IOT. Which roughly coincides with the Flt Lt point for a 3-year degree graduate! Flt Lt + Fg Pay is about £32k, not at all bad for a 24 year old... think about that next time you have an essay crisis!!!