JFZ90: “Don't you feel your tone is a bit patronising Chug?”
Well it wasn’t intended to be, and if it appeared so I apologise. Because I don’t follow the minutiae of the MOD’s labyrinthine system of Airworthiness Regulation and Enforcement, it doesn’t disbar me from being concerned with its efficacy, or lack thereof. Indeed the very complexity of the arrangements seems to me to be at the heart of its weakness. A system charged with such important life critical responsibility should be simple and robust, not complex and prone to interference. You ask what is the difference between the Civilian and Military systems. Just consider the terrible 737 fire at Manchester. Within months of the publication of the report, Floor Track Emergency Lighting, Fire Retardant Seat Cushions and Crew Smoke Hoods were fitted throughout the UK Civil Airfleet. Why? Because it was a mandatory CAA requirement, whatever the financial cost to the airlines, endex. That same objectivity has yet to be extended to the military airfleet, I fear. As to the particular issues here, you have the advantage on me. How would I know of them? But perhaps they are the trees and we should be looking at the entire wood.