Twinact
It is difficult to accurately describe the atmosphere within the Chinook force at the time.
My personal assessment:
There was an enormous amount of pressure from ‘on high’ to get the MkII introduced, I have no idea why. The problem comes when you make personnel of the highest calibre, in all corners of the force, introduce a new aircraft type with scant information, no documentation, no UK military evidence of airworthiness and a confusing array of seemingly unrelated systems failures. If you are told “I hear what your saying but get on with it” no matter how hard you protest, you simply end up doing your best to help with the introduction.
This is not a failing of anyone who did their job, it is a failing of the system. What I believe then happened is a feeling of the system having prostituted peoples credibility through making them aid the introduction of an aircraft which was not ready for service. People were not about to go to the board and state they considered the aircraft they got into each day was unsafe, it would be one demeaning situation to far.
I say again; this is strictly my personal view and it must also be said that the MkII has turned out to be an amazing aircraft.
W 5