"... in withdrawing support from privately operated vintage jets."
"... its not good for them to be associated with poor maintenance ... "
Not quite
'privately' operated vintage jets - but quite relevant to this discussion ...
Perhaps Martin Baker would have been better advised if they had also withdrawn support for the Scissors Shackle seats in the Hawk when MoD refused to upgrade them to Gas Shackle - but allowed the upgrade for Tornado etc.
Look where that got MBA - A cheapskate decision by MoD plus poor management and maintenance plus lies to everyone etc. Despite adequate evidence of all those and more - the only folks who got blamed and caned for the death of Flt Lt Sean Cunningham when his seat didn't work properly (XX177 - 8th November 2011) were Martin Baker, who were evidentially squeaky clean.
Still wondering what pressure was put on MBA to plead guilty when they weren't.
LFH