Tingger
I know that VGS has been tacked onto various FTS in the past. However, due to the FTS's existing portfolio of aircraft types (eg. 3FTS has King Air and Grob, so they've had their own problems of late!). I'm reasonably confident that the new 2FTS was formed to further improve having recognised that a seperate DDH was needed to drive the required level of assurance/ensurance that a youth flying-training activity is deemed to require. This won't have come cheap, introducing new staff to assure the AOC that everything that needs to be done is being done.
I remember when the Safety, Training and Regulation (STAR) teams arrived with significant numbers of personnel to sort out 1 and 2 Group. Very unpopular at the time with their new assurance/ensurance methods. However, now in hindsight a very necessary process to keep us safe by understanding the risks of what we do properly - rather than where we were prior to the tragic loss of the Nimrod. Believe me, I was a sceptic and now I'm a convert despite the exponential increase in my own paperwork and workload.
LJ
