Tuc, Chug and others,
My final post here for some time - Christmas coming and all that.
I certainly don't dispute that there has been long-term mismanagement and very probably malfeasance in the upper levels of the MoD around airworthiness. However, this thread is about the grounding of the ATC glider fleet, and that's what I've attempted to keep my focus on. I've tried to do that so that the many people who gave so much of their own time to get cadets into the air can better understand how this particular scandal came about, and to help those at the sharp end today.
I share Tuc and Chug's frustration that the VSOs who started all these balls rolling in the late 80s have never been held to account. But the ATC glider scandal shows that the RAF (not the MoD) still has serious issues with how it actually practices airworthiness management at the 'sharp end'. My aim in posting here is to encourage all those good and professional aircrew and engineers in the RAF (and I know quite a few of them) to learn from what's happened here, and stop it happening in their patch today. Right now. If you're on a squadron, get the overalls on, get out in the hangars and on to the flight line, and cast a really sharp eye on what is actually being done by your crews, and your contractors. Check your paperwork. Check your aircraft. And if you don't like what you see, or are unsure, stop it, fix it and stop it happening again. Don't wait for the MAA to issue a new RA - you are the ones who will actually make the biggest difference. If you're aircrew, don't wait for an MAA course - get alongside your engineers and get acquainted with maintaining airworthiness and how it affects you, and what part you play in keeping it sound.
Things will only get better if the people actually doing the job today make it better. As ever, my warmest regards to all of them.
Engines