Gloves off, oh goody.
Who mentioned the PA 31 prang.
A 30 y.o. PA 31 at MGW, no radar, no de ice, no auto pilot and pilots ordered to 'go and have a look' at night in forecast icing and crap weather.
Engine instruments which only vaguely reflect what's occurring under the bonnet, radios which 'tested OK' before flight. Pilot grounds an aircraft and is told to go home (no pay today), next pilot launches. All true, but beyond the regulator (watchdog) capability to manage.
The 'Authority' knows these operating conditions exist, they know that they have continued for many years. Culture of fear, you bet. You tell them, they will prosecute you. (sod the mortgage).
Been fairly reliably informed that at the end of yet another 16 hour tour of duty, 10 sector shift with only 2 sectors provided at pre flight briefing (no kidding) pilots have been 'persuaded' to change aircraft.
Bloke I chatted to said that the CP had been flying the thing the day before, (7 hours of passenger operations) and had not entered one single solitary snag on the MR. The bloke concerned found no less than 8 major items (including a missing mass balance), grounded the aircraft then signed off for the day.
The aircraft took off the next morning at 0700 LMT, all fixed. Recommended reading:-
"The Appointment in Samarra" (as retold by W. Somerset Maugham [1933]). P.S. The speaker is Death
Perhaps, fate is the hunter. But not without a fight mate. Lets make it a fair one.