I'm not quite sure why there are so many "Old Timer" VGS folk who are quite so vociferous about the "Pause to flying" declaration by the ODH. Why is it not so surprising that the whole fleet has been grounded when there has been so many discrepancies within the (none) recording of Engineering practices of the ACO aeroplanes?
The ODH was 100% correct with his assessment of the lack of ACO engineering expertise and the "fudges" that have been made with respect to "none authorised repair schedules" that have been made to the fleet aircraft.
The ODH signs-off the "Risk to Life (RtL) Register" of all of the items on the Risk Register (an MAA requirement) and that, in this instance, he was not satisfied with the lack of authorised engineering support with respect to authorised repair schedules to the ACO aeroplanes.
With respect to VGS Flying Instructors and other voluntary staff, no one is blaming the standards of your particular area of expertise. If there is one area that the volunteer staff of the VGS should recognise, it should be the heightening of awareness of the MAA regulations and NOT the "old school" dictat that... if it aint broke; don't fix it! It WAS broken AND it required fixing!
To all of the VGS part-time staff... get a grip upon the MAA Regulations; like it or hate it... the MAA is here to stay! If you have no wish to participate in any part of the regulatory requirements of the MAA... might I suggest that origami might suit you better!
Stop whinging and start making plans with respect to how you might best serve the ACO with whatever expertise that you might have within your armoury. YOU owe it to the remaining kids, no matter how few they might be, to deliver your best!
Get on with it!
TCF