I’ve only had to brief a journalist once in my career – about a new system designed to enhance aircrew safety. Beforehand, I had all the reservations mentioned but what I did was invite him down to Farnborough to use the system himself and then insisted on having final say on what was published. No problem whatsoever.
The most disturbing aspect of this experience was (a) Why I had to engage the journalist (JDW) in the first place, and (b) Subsequent MoD reaction.
You see, despite Boscombe Down and the Users saying this system was the dogs bolleaux, my ####wit boss and OR (now DEC) wanted it cancelled, despite it being designed to clear a critical operational constraint. Still got the letter from OR telling me I was wasting money. You’ll have to ask them why, but it boiled down to not wanting to upset higher ups who had been saying “no” for many years.
The article was, as usual, read by a certain MP on the Defence Select Committee, or at least his army of researchers, and questions were raised in the House. Basically, wanting to know how much the system cost and why it wasn’t in every aircraft. Good questions, simple answers, but the MoD spin doctors had to have their say and the resulting answer was nonsensical. So much so that the next logical step, addressing the wider fleet, was ditched…… until…..
Fast forward 10 years and the Defence Technology Strategy mentioned the same critical constraint and promises to fund research into how it can be cleared. A quick call to the author telling him the research and development isn’t necessary, as it’s been in service for 10 years. Not interested. Such knowledge would upset the higher ups. Two years on, and MoD have recently issued an Invitation to Tender to….. Research and Develop a “solution” to this problem. Another phone call to the commercial branch. Not interested. Cancellation would make the higher ups look silly.
So, on an aviation forum, where at least some are interested in safety, could someone please tell me who the term “scum” should be aimed at in this example?