In previous posts I’ve mention the importance of having a properly appointed Design Authority or Design Custodian (and explained the difference).
The main submission to Lord Phillip noted;
This last (referring to the AAIB report in to ZA721 in 1987) .... aligns closely with the CHART criticism 5 years later highlighting the difficulties caused by Boeing never having been an MoD-appointed Design Authority. That is, the procedures for selecting and appointing Design Authorities had broken down.
When was this “difficulty” removed? ( I don't know as I rather luckily avoided working with Boeing; if indeed anyone actually works "with" them). It is a fair question because if it still exists then that is a huge hole in any audit trail. And if it was removed, what action was taken to ensure previous records, which have no formal status as far as MoD are concerned, are accurate? That is a huge task. Chinook teams over the years had no proper means of managing this, and didn't, so what chance RJ?
Noting part of the MAA's remit will be to ensure the recommendations of these ARTs have been implemented (because they weren't before the MAA was formed).
Rivetman – Excellent.