DV, 40 years ago an aircraft taking off tragically hit some birds and crashed. A tragedy, but sadly, **** does happen. But what - exactly - is your point? That military aircraft shouldn't fly in the dark, or that they shouldn't crash? Both of these propositions are curious, and if implemented would severely curtail any air force's ability to function. So again - and with the great respect, what - exactly - is your point?
My point, in a nutshell, is that there wasn't an independent and open inquiry, with cross examination. What bird strike risk assessment had been carried out for the Findhorn Bay area (end of Kinloss runway) where the winter population on Canadian geese can be around 20,000? What risk assessment had been carried out regarding 'first light' take-offs, when bird/gulls/geese are on the move? How effective can a dawn search for roosting birds be around the Findhorn estuary? An MOD in-house BOI is unlikely to admit that they were inadequate. Remember, it was the Coroner at the XV230 'independent' inquest who was bold enough to say that the Nimrod was not airworthy, and never had been, not the BOI.
For the avoidance of any doubt, I served as a Nimrod Flight Line engineering officer for several years, I do know the area and the risks involved
Waiting for a link to the BOI report to be provided.
DV