This section applies to those:

• employed as a pilot, navigator, flight engineer or qualified flying instructor,
• AND whose contract of employment specifies that they may join the Scheme as an Aircrew member, 
• AND who are more than one year away from Normal Retirement Date at joining,
• AND who joined the Scheme before 6 April 2003.

The Scheme gives you a pension when you retire and also provides death benefits for your dependants when you die.

You receive a generous Company contribution towards your benefits.

Aircrew members are contracted-out of the State Second Pension (S2P), the second tier of the State pension. This means that the Scheme replaces some of the pension that the second tier of the State pension would have paid to you at retirement. Your basic State pension (the first tier) remains unaffected and you remain eligible to receive it in addition to your pension from the BAE Systems Pension Scheme.

We will send you regular newsletters, which give an overview of the annual financial health of the Scheme and any changes in rules or benefits. We also report on important changes in legislation and other topical pensions news.