I have just read the Service Inquiry Report into Jon’s accident. There are a number of issues in the report that I, as a recently retired fighter pilot, find disturbing.
As most of us thought, the main cause was that, for some reason, Jon blacked out. That could have been due to a rapid onset of G. These days we want to call it G-LOC, A-LOC and other things but it is not something new to fighter aviation. Even in an F4 at 650 kts you could achieve a rapid onset and high peak G, ask some F4 navigators. The benefit we had years ago was we flew twice a day and operated our ac to their limits. The present day pilot is limited by rules and micro-management.
Over the past few years aircrew, and engineers, have been over whelmed in paper work. The total restructure of “Flight Safety” has generated an unmanageable amount of work. This has been to the detriment of Flight Safety. As I left the Service I observed double the number of FSOs on a station, non-of who ever left their office. Everywhere people were worrying about Risk Registers, ALARP, New Management System, and so the list goes on. No time to concentrate on the job in hand.
The change to all Order Books being electronic is fundamentally floored. The hierarchy have been told many times but they choose not to listen. Consequently, pilots are not conversant and familiar with extant regulations. Most of us did not deliberately break the rules but at least in the old days there was a book at the Ops Desk or in the Crew Room to refer to.
The majority of the Recommendations from the Inquiry are modern day “Staff Speak”. Operating fast jet aircraft is a risky business. Obviously you reduce the risk as much as possible but it must not reduce your mission effectiveness. If you partake in Extreme Sports you must accept the associated risk. One of the best ways to mitigate risk was to operate close to the limits on a regular basis. The other way is to not partake. I observe that a cash strapped, risk adverse Air Force has got it’s work cut out if it wishes to maintain the credibility built up over the past 90+ years.