Originally Posted by Cows getting bigger
Genstabler, in simple terms, there isn't a complete set of paperwork to say that the design, build and continued provision of the aircraft is safe. It may be safe, it may not, but without the paperwork it is automatically assumed to be unairworthy.
Actually, it would be more correct to say that "there isn't a complete set of
UK-standard paperwork"!
As far as I can see, they haven't gone through all the
US-standard paperwork yet to see if all the info needed to meet the UK-standard is present, and it appears they feel it will be quicker/cheaper to get a waiver than to work to transfer that info to the UK paperwork.
There may well be gaps (some significant) between the info in the US-standard paperwork and that required for the UK-standard paperwork, but I have not seen anything saying that the MOD has actually found that out.
Originally Posted by Rigga
The fact is that whatever UOR you installed without Boscombe's advice is likely to be undone at the soonest possible opportunity because it is...NOT AIRWORTHY. The mere fact that it currently works does not make it airworthy.
No, it will be pulled out because it didn't go through all the bureaucratic channels and get all the right boxes ticked.
It may well have no detrimental affect whatsoever on the actual safety of flying & operating the aircraft, but that's not what is the issue - if it didn't get the full process then it is automatically assumed to be unsafe,
whether it actually is or not, and whether removing it degrades the combat capability of the aircraft (and thus decreasing the safety of those relying on the aircraft to fight the enemy) or not.
There is a difference between being NOT AIRWORTHY because it actually
is unsafe and being
labeled NOT AIRWORTHY because the right paperwork wasn't done - but the MOD and many posters here believe the two are one and the same.
Yes,
the ideal purpose of the paperwork is supposed to be to insure the actual, real-world safety of the aircraft with the modification, but
the real-world purpose often ends up as insuring the paperwork is proper without regard to what happens outside the office.
Testing is as (or more) important as the paperwork process, but from what I have read testing is no longer a priority, as it costs more than a couple of office-workers checking tick-boxes.