Thanks for that perspective Two's In. I only worked on RN Lynx avionics, but was vaguely aware of the tie bar issue being discussed next door in the mid-late 90s. But I do recall in 1987 the RN attrition rate (which determined future buys, from which Westland calculated shopfloor loading, but patently did not reflect reality) being increased from 30k to 40k hours. Quote a large leap, with little or no evidence, and had the effect of chopping Lynx funding. Another issue was trend analysis being cancelled in 1991 as a savings measure, which may explain being sometimes suddenly bitten.
Going further back, I recall my Divisional Manager on the phone to Intertechnique about the Fuel Quantity Indicators. (You'd get a batch of 10 to repair, all different inside, with no AP, repair manual or spares. From day 1 repair was by cannibalisation). 'They're sh**e. Ye may as well hang oot the ******* door wi' a ******* dipstick. What, ye dinna understand? Dae ye no' speak ******* English'. Er boss, neither do you, and he's French.