Mary, to address a few of your points:
1. We must have a different understanding of the term wingover.
I'm with 5 Forward 6 Back
2. You agree the canopy structure can possibly obscure the view of other aircraft.
I agree. Although having said that, The view from a Tutor is much better than that of a C150/152 which have aerobatic versions, and generally better than most other SEP aircraft too.
3. Post 27 concurrs with my warning about varifocal lenses.
I don't wear glasses, so Haven't a clue!
4. Nope, never wore a bonedome, except once in a microlite. I can only imagine its effect on your scan. Can you turn your head enough to look back over your shoulder while wearing it?
As Easy Street said, it doesn't affect your scan. I've sustained 6G (which is also the Tutor limit) in a bone dome, looking behind the aircraft. I,e, checking my 6 o'clock. Good lookout is absolutely fundamental to military flying.
5. If finding the canopy handle in the Tutor is difficult, perhaps this requires a mod? Has an actual jettison ever been practiced to your knowlege? Not much use wearing a parachute if you can't get rid of the canopy.
If you lift your left hand up, you'll find the jettison handle. It's also red. I don't personally think it's hard to find. But then again, I wasn't involved in a mid air collision, and suddenly found myself with a damaged aircraft, out of control, out of my comfort zone, getting closer to the ground. quickly. With the well-being of a young cadet as my responsibility, probably in a state of panic, and then finding myself having to recall the necessary drill in the very limited time available. I can't possibly say what my reaction would have been.
However, it has always been SOP to practice the abandon drill at least once a month. It's a currency, so if it hasn't been practiced, you don't fly until you have. This drill included a TOUCH drill of the jettison handle i,e, the canopy isn't actually jettisoned. Since the accident, the base I was at not too long ago (with an EFT sqn and AEF) started regular demonstrations of actually jettisoning the canopy. Not sure if this is a fleet-wide implementation though.
6. Has already been answered.
I don't think a 10 minute interval would help, as 10 minutes later, you'd be in the same airspace anyway. All AEF's and EFT Sqns (as far as im aware) have now "sectorised" their airspace. Prior to take off, they mark down what sector they're planning on operating in on a board in ops. e,g, if someone will be operating in the north sector, then the next pilot will operate in the east/west/south sector for example. Personally I think TCAS would be an excellent addition. When I flew the Tucano (which has TCAS) I was amazed at how many aircraft were out there!!
And as for pba target's idea that aeros "can be fantastic for building confidence in sometimes quite timid teenagers who are out of their comfort zones", inflicting aeros on beginners, in my experience, puts most of them off for life.
Aero's aren't "pushed" onto a cadets if they don't want to do them. Often the first flight doesn't include Aero's. However, if a cadet is particularly keen, then the pilot will happily oblige. If a cadet feels unwell, then Aero's are discontinued.
I still remember my first AEF flight with very fond memories. It included Aero's and I loved every second of it. 10 years later, and I'm in the RAF doing the best job in the world.