Good luck is indeed needed EGBT, but not for me.
The person needing all of the luck, good wishes and support from the aviating community as a whole is the one that feels he is being made a scapegoat for a tragic accident.
Having been appraised of all of the facts, listened intently to much of the gossip and spent a great deal of time conducting my own enquiries, I am convinced that the AAIB report is significantly flawed.
Critical factors, such as the fact that the aircraft was being flown at an IAS 25% above Va in an area well known locally for severe low level turbulence with the wind in the N to E sector, were glossed over.
The design reserve factors in the structure, which are lower by far than currently accepted by the CAA are another area that does not get proper attention in the report.
All told this report falls below an acceptable standard with regard to impartial investigation of the facts and I know that I am not alone in having come to this conclusion.
I am deeply saddened that such a well-respected body as the AAIB could publish such a report, particularly as the result has been to drive a 61 year old man, who acted with the very best of intentions to help a friend, into probable bankruptcy and possible loss of freedom for the rest of his life.
We are not talking about a professional, paid, engineer here, but an unpaid volunteer who gave freely of his time for very many years to help others achieve and maintain the joy of flight. In my view, as aviators we all need to act in concert to defend our fellows, whatever form of flying machine we choose to leave the surly bonds of earth.
VP