Wensley and Jim,
In all my working life as an engineer, I never once thought about 'ambulance chasing lawyers' when making decisions. However, I thought quite a lot about the safety of those who were flying the aircraft that I had signed off as serviceable. And I can speak for all my engineering colleagues.
As Tuc and many others have tried to get over on this thread - you can get aircraft and new equipment into service safely, effectively and quickly. There is no compromise as long as you do the job properly first time. And honestly, it's not rocket science (except, maybe, for rockets).
But it's a job for engineers, one we do for the aircrew because we damn well care. We know we can't solve 'world peace' every time an aircraft is bought , or modified. We know the kit is needed at the front line. We know when something is acceptably safe and when it isn't. And we work with aircrew to get those decisions right. We do this because we are professionals.
A little while back, I had an interesting conversation with an aircrew VSO, who loudly and aggressively informed me that if he had his way, he would buy the aircraft he wanted direct from the US Armed Force concerned, and fly them in the UK 'under US rules'. He went on to inform me that the 'airworthiness concerns' being voiced by 'engineers who don't fly' were 'an attempt to justify their existence'.
And this was a VSO who was, at the time, a full Duty Holder. Go figure.
You do not, repeat, not, get CAS into an aircraft, get him to pole it around for 5 sorties, and then ask him to say 'there you go boys, I'm okay, crack on'. Look, you really don't.
Some aircrew need to understand this. When they don't they start applying pressure to 'just get the aircraft into service', asserting that 'they can get over the little problems engineers obsess over' (another actual quote from another aircrew officer just a few weeks ago). Then, things suddenly get 'political'. This is happening right now, and it needs to stop.
If (and it's an 'if, I hope I'm wrong), someone decided that we could buy old USAF airframes off the shelf with US kit in them, and didn't do the 'due diligence' required to get them cleared for UK service, then I sincerely hope they stay on the ground until they are fixed so that they are acceptably safe for use.
However, I more sincerely hope that they did do the necessary preparation, and that the aircraft get into service as soon as possible. Our dedicated and professional aircrew deserve nothing less.
Best Regards as ever to all those trying to do the right thing for the right people,
Engines