RP, I'm not arguing about what was the cause of the tragic loss of 230 and its 14 occupants. Like other UK Military Air Accidents it is compromised by being investigated to all intents and purposes by the operator. The freeing of the MAAIB from the MOD is as vital to UK Military Air Safety as is that of the MAA being similarly free, and just as important is that they be freed of each other.
The point about the dry bay plumbing is that it was contrary to the Airworthiness Regulations and known to be. As with similar 'anomalies', they were suborned by the UK Military Airworthiness Regulator, aka the MOD, aka the Operator. This Forum is littered with UK Airworthiness Related Fatal Military Air Accidents where the cause of the accident is disputed. So be it, for they were all investigated by the operator anyway. The point is that whatever the causes they were all unairworthy, and an Air Force riddled with unairworthy aircraft faces a bleak future, especially if it has to go to war with one that has respected and sustained its airworthiness.
In this country it took a 700 year old institution to tell its Air Force, not yet 100 years old, that 'there is something wrong with its bloody aircraft'. High time it took note instead of sneering at such warnings.
Last edited by Chugalug2; 23rd Apr 2014 at 13:11.