P.S. Genghis. I always thought I'd enjoy chatting with you over a pint...now I know!! Did you have a hand in the very interesting spin testing writeup in the ACM by any chance?
LAI, apologies for not noticing your post sooner.
The flight testing of the Vigilant came in two chunks, separated through diversion of resources by the Gulf war, which mucked up quite a few non-urgent trials programmes. The first half would have been about 75% of the flying and about 25% of the report writing, I ran the second half - post the gulf war, so probably got the poorer end of the deal. Five of us were heavily involved in the programme over the two stages.
Vaguely attempting to preserve everybody's anonymity, those five became subsequently Chief Test Pilot at BAe Warton, Chief Test Pilot at CAA, Chief Test Pilot to MoD, Head of FAAM at Cranfield, and one very well regarded part time FI at Old Sarum. Two of those have also built quite substantial reputations as display pilots. Bar possibly the fellow who became CTP at Warton, none of us particularly looked like high fliers at the time.
As for the spin wording in the ACM; I probably did write it (bear in mind you'd talking 18 years ago!), but didn't manage that bit of the flight testing.
G