Like many of those who have posted, I spent a very happy period of my youth in the ATC, and first got airborne in Chipmunks, then got the chance to go gliding at Manston. The ATC was instrumental in keeping my ambition to go and work in aviation alive, even if I did end up as an air engineering officer in the RN.
So, here's my two pennorth worth.
Like many, (and reluctantly) I can't take Sir Christopher's statements at face value. To be plain, this looks to me like a classic snow job. Reasons why I think this:
1. I can't honestly see why this issue would merit a Ministerial statement. Reorganisation of ACO gliding bases and fleet should have been announced at Department level. But if an organisation is trying to avoid embarrassment, a Ministerial statement handily stifles debate, shifts blame from those in the organisation responsible for the problem, and is a perfect platform for VSOs to issue statements along the lines of ' this is where we are now, stop whingeing and get with the programme, the Minister has spoken'. A bit like what's happened here.
2. Matters of fact, or the lack thereof. Firstly, this problem arose in 2014, five years after the Haddon Cave report. Did it really take the RAF five years to recognise there was a problem? Did they really leave Air Cadets at risk for five years? Secondly, the Regulations have not been 'stiffened'. When you get down to the business of keeping aircraft in an airworthy condition, the MAA has not actually changed anything that happens in the hangar. And thirdly, what were the 'engineering governance' problems? That's a weasel phrase if ever I heard one. What were the actual problems? Where's the MAA report? Who failed and what is happening to them?
Why the cover up? In my view (and that is all it is), it's this.
The Royal Air Force has allowed a fleet of the simplest possible aircraft to degenerate into a non-airworthy condition. The RAF, for crying out loud. if they can't keep these aircraft up to spec, what the heck is happening to the rest of their aircraft? I'm not at all surprised that they would rather not answer that one. (Please note that I've regularly posted my admiration for the RAF's technical and professional standards - I'm as mystified as anyone else at this)
This has cost money. A lot of money. That's bad enough. But it's also probable that the situation took a number of years before 2014 to develop, so Air Cadets were put at risk. That's not a small issue.
I sincerely hope that a couple of Parliamentary Committees get their teeth stuck into this. I'd like to see a few more facts out there.
Best regards as ever to those picking up the pieces at the sharp end
Engines