Priorities
Chug,
I think we are in violent agreement - I agree entirely with the need for the flight safety and airworthiness issues to be followed up. However, given how long the families have waited, and the battles they have fought, I would not wish to see any delay to clearing their sons' and husband's names because pursuing the wider isssues will probably take longer. I certainly agree that these other issues are, in terms of the aviation community as whole, even more important in the longer term. Incidentally I think you will find the MAA is calling itself the Military Aviation Authority. Its remit is:
Defence Military Aviation Authority (MAA)
Enhancing the delivery of operational capability through continuous improvement in military Air Safety, associated culture, regulation and practice
The Military Aviation Authority (MAA) is the organisation that regulates, audits and assures all aspects of military aviation.
Established on 1 April 2010, the MAA is an independent and autonomous body that will execute, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Defence, an integrated suite of regulatory, surveillance, inspection and assurance functions across the Defence air operating and technical domains, to underpin the safe design and use of military air systems within the Defence operating context.
Like you I would like to see it completely independent of MOD, and we have yet to see if it can deliver on any or all of these fine and all embracing objectives in a reasonable timescale - possibly also like you, I have my doubts, and I would like to see the priority aims relating to the airworthiness and flight safety outcomes which are demonstrably needed being made much clearer, and the plan to achieve them in as short a timescale as possible. It is also not clear to me how the other independent function of a MAAIB can be achieved - but perhaps others could enlighten us.
JB