Misplaced Bags 32
You're extensive reading list has evidently not given you enough insight to realise that RAF personnel are the political lackeys of no-one. Reading PPRuNe should have given you a clue.
Your post, implying as much, was bound to elicit a reaction from a community that is proud to do and say what is right, irrespective of external political agendas.
For your further education though, Wg Cdr Chan is a highly experienced and capable officer with uncompromising standards. That Typhoon is proving so successful now is in no small measure due to his past endeavours. Read between the lines of his statement though:
'purely from a pilot's perspective it's been an enormously enjoyable experience'
Wg Cdr Chan is at the front end of the biggest collaborative industrial programme in Europe. Some areas of such a complex programme, at such an early and pivotal stage, will inevitably be frustrating. Please consider that before obliquely questioning the integrity of such high calibre individuals. You were not polite.
Most importantly though, stay out of the Military Forum if you can't take some BANTER!
As to the unserviceable ac - it happens. Most, if not all, trails put considerable strain on ac, aircrew and groundcrew. It is not unusual to have a detachment scatterred across an entire continent until the gingers fix the broken bits with their usual dedication and professionalism.
For all manner of reasons, BAES get a bad press: some deservedly, some not. Typhoon has the potential to be a tremendous success and this is directly due to the dedication of a vast number of people across 4 countries, not least the boys on the shop floor at Warton and the RAF/civ servants that have been closely involved in the project. Unpalatable to 'Mail Readers' perhaps but true nonetheless. Typhoon is not out of the woods yet, but early indications are very promising.
Good Luck in Singapore dudes.
