Mick, you and I were in the room when Ainsworth went out on the airwaves to rubbish the coroner's conclusions at the nimrod inquest. He hadn't read the coroner's conclusion, if he is that stupid, he shouldn't be in office. And he really is that stupid, this being another example.
I do agree that it appears senior military officers do not have a clue about airworthiness requirements and safety management systems. Their advice and the advice of civil servants was misguided and incorrect driven by the narrow minded approach of achieving the task at any price. Doesn't detract from the awful, self regarding instincts of the new man and "former" marxist in charge of the MoD.
I am not sure if you realise, but Sec State for Defence has overall responsibility for implementation of airworthiness regulations. The buck really does stop with him.
Scary, hey?