Furthermore (and with all due respect to my friends and colleagues in BGA clubs all over the UK) I suspect that the ATC Vikings constitute possibly the best maintained glider fleet in Britain.
If there’s really an airworthiness issue, why not take a couple of Vikings to reputable sailplane maintainers, such as Southern Sailplanes or Roger Targett (other sailplane maintainers are available) and get them stripped right down and thoroughly inspected.
Dave - I'm hearing of some pretty poor maintenance tales through the flight safety world. From my limited knowledge it was the right call (not by the MAA I hasten to add!).
I believe that the Vikings are being looked at under sub-contract by a number of experienced glider maintenance facilities (including your suggestion). I understand that the Viggis are keeping our own crowd quite busy. Furthermore, once the spotlight shifted onto the VGSs then other things started to be discovered as well, unconnected with maintenance, that also needed sorting out - as ever in the new world of post-Haddon Cave, every day is a school day!
How I understand it is that the VGS used to be the responsibility of the Air Cadet Org and they weren't really up to speed with modern continuing airworthiness practices. In the new MAA world the VGS were put under the Duty Holder (DH) for 1EFTS. After a period of time (and problems within their own primary aircraft type) the DH responsibility shifted to 3 FTS right at the point that they also had problems with their primary type (props falling off!). So 2FTS was re-formed to be the DH for VGS (about time too in my humble opinion) and after a year or so they felt the need to pause flying (again, from what I hear, this was the right decision) and, as I understand it, they have had more problems than expected with their return to flying (sort of 1 step forward and then 1 step back).
All this doesn't help the fantastic volunteers that give their time to our youths so selflessly. However, as you may have read what I have typed before in this forum, 2FTS have done the right thing. Taking known uneccesary risks with youth flying is never ever going to be palatable for the RAF and/or Air Cadet Org and I hope/expect that the VGS will come back from this far stronger/safer than before. Some recent flying accidents with air cadets has also re-focussed attention and appetite for risk - very sadly, indeed.
Please note that I do not work for a VGS, nor 2FTS, and I have only observed from afar of what is happening. Therefore, what I tell you is my own OPINION and RUMOUR. You have reached the limit of my current knowledge.
LJ