AC Ovee
I fear that you are also getting Twitchy about this, but let me assure you of a couple of things:
I am ex Nimrod (even a humble Pilot Captain) so I do know a little bit about the aircraft pre 1990, when I left the fleet. I also flew the early sorties with MC and JR proving the AAR system prior to our deployment to ASI.
I have never ever accused or even suggested that this accident was the result of neglegence by anyone, including groundcrew. Your suggestion otherwise is quite outrageous.
I have always supported the groundcrew over this at every opportunity and have stated so on numerous occasions that the constraints (and conditions) they are working under is a disgrace and should be reviewed asap. You cannot maintain any aircraft fleet without money, and lots of it with an ageing fleet.
I have never had 'a pop' at RAF Engineering either. I have constantly remarked on the higher authority of the RAF and their lack of leadership over this, especially CAS who, IMHO, should have grounded all of the Nimrod fleet until every leak has been fixed. To allow these aircraft to continue to fly is an appalling decision.
Your comment about me having a go at line workers is completely untrue Sir.
There are posters on this forum who claim to be current Nimrod aircrew, and who are claiming that in general terms, all of the aircraft leak to one degree or another. We have others who claim to fly 'every day' in aircraft leaking fuel. But I don't know whether or not XV230 had an existing fuel leak or not, but based on what the current operators are claiming, I would think that it is highly probable that it did (but you are right, I don't know that for fact)
Likewise, I know nothing about your little charts outlining where leaks are acceptable. But you must step back and ask yourself this.....Is it 'right' that aircraew are being asked to fly aircraft with known leaks, even minor ones? The answer, considering the tragedy of XV230, is a resounding NO, they should not.
You say that I have no proof of what happened that day, and of course you are quite correct I don't. But what we do have is the loss of an aircraft, and its crew, and a lot of Nimrod operators saying that the aircraft always leak. Does that not suggest something to you? because it does to me and probably to most other aviators also.