Chug said:
"This isn't about military flying being intrinsically dangerous, its about senior commanders being dangerously reckless in their budget driven decisions."
In addition, and my view, in the UK military, is seems there is no real differential between what goes on "In-Theatre" and what goes on at home.
It is becoming apparent that some perceived necessity-driven "omissions" are being brought back to UK as new operational techniques instead of lessons to be used for future operations or even towards Contingency Maintenance.
This means that all the shortcuts currently being used for the very best of reasons, for maintenance and by crews "In Theatre", are now being used UK-Wide. And I acknowledge these techniques may have worked in the short term to produce Flying Hours WHEN OPERATIONALLY NEEDED.
The result of continued maintenance and aircrew shortcuts will eventually amount to a critical item removed from view by the perception of "Operationally developed" routines obscuring the original safety requirement.
Don't get me wrong - I admire what goes on In Theatre, and I understand why you need to do those shortened routines over there. But, knowing that these practices are omiting some previously normal details, I don't see why you should practice those "War-Only" techniques over our (your) own homes?
And I don't accept the "Train For War" answer which insinuates that it is therefore okay to needlessly crash at home! as you may needlessly crash in a war.
Remember that we once heavily practiced "Battle Damage Repair" techniques - but we never dared to use them!