Oh bolleaux - expertise it is...
Yup, I agree that there are many people that could get these aircraft airworthy to permit to fly standards under the BGA in far quicker time. But persisiting with the military airworthiness system is probably yet another 'devil in the detail'. If they were G-reg'd then another can of worms could be opened in that the VGS instructors would need SPLs with FI ratings, would they not? At the very least LAPL(S)? Plus all the medicals via civvy AMEs?
I suspect in the longer run it woukd have been better to go this route now, but at the time getting the aircraft airworthy under the military system was probably seen as the easier/cheaper route?
LJ