Fagin,
I believe that you are the one that is closer to the truth. Whatever the BoI comes out with in the wash there is a worrying trend over the last few months that is sadly exceeding the usual DASC post leave increase in accident/incident statistics.
In the last week I have seen the MoD web report Tornado leaving runway, Army Lynx on SPTA and of course the Lynx ditching. Has anyone begun to correlate the reduction in flying hours (currency v competency), the reduction in exercises (i.e. lets not go to say the west coast of Africa for an exercise but lets stay in the familiar and well worked terrain of Scotland) and of course the continued exodus of experienced aircrew because the FRI fails to outweigh civilian balance of life and the Professional Employment Spine (Aviator) is not given early enough to prevent those with +2000-3000 hrs (rotary mates-not truckies)! and loads of 'I's' from leaving.
My point being, taking into consideration the number of reported incidents and accidents (and we all know that a number are sorted by post flight in house de-briefs or Unit Inquiries) I wonder if any of the hiearchy actually recognise the implications to Flight Safety by the cutting of Flying Hours and reduction of exercises, but still want the same quality, and Operational Performance.
Too many coincidences for my liking - even with something as simple as a running out of fuel we all know that there is usually a chain of events in there somewhere....I wonder if the BoI will link that chain back to Fleet and the Treasury?
And before the Staff Officers start to rant and rave, I wonder if they actually ask the question to themselves that maybe their 10 second signature to a policy paper (i.e. reduction in flying hours or spares support or exercises etc) would have any impact on the competency of front line crews.
Last edited by MaroonMan4; 5th Mar 2005 at 07:03.