21 YEARS AGO
21 years ago RAF Chinook ZD576 crashed on the Mull of Kintyre:
Despite a clear political motive for that team (the passengers) to be incapacitated, sabotage was ruled out immediately;
In airmanship terms, it had crashed into an isolated low hill, but any objective discussion on navigation was quashed;
Despite there having been ample evidence that the a/c was under control and being held on an intended track right up until the moment of impact, the issue of airworthiness was held up as the only way to clear the pilots’ names and so nothing should detract from that agenda;
Despite that the analysis pointed to an approach using a particular piece of equipment, this was greeted with silence and ridicule despite it being leaked much later that the equipment had been fitted (presumably that it had been classified at the time was the excuse) – this was an example of QED.
The peace process has irrevocably changed the economy and culture of the whole of the island of Ireland and not for the better – some PPRuNers could have helped get the truth out years ago and perhaps stopped the rot over there – you could have defended a significant part of the UK but you let it go – shame.