LJ:-
You often espouse that the MAA is not fit for purpose regarding its independence. What is your suggestion, then?
Sorry Leon, we clashed (posting that is ;-). Of course, no system is or can be perfect. No doubt an independent MAA, or just as importantly MilAAIB, will be open to much justified criticism. My hope though is that it could at least be free of the malevolent influence of the MOD (and the RAF Star Chamber!) if placed outside that body.
AFAIK, the CAA is a Self Funding Public Corporation. Of course, it is still prone to government pressures, but at least it is not dependent on it for its very existence. In any case, the parlous state of UK Military Airworthiness was not brought about directly by UK governments per se, but rather by the incompetent and malevolent action of RAF VSOs desperately trying to claw monies out of ring fenced Air Safety budgets that their own gross negligence dictated. The possibility that such illegal action and orders could be resorted to had never been anticipated, but they were, and in covering that up to this very day UK Military Air Safety continues to be subverted.
My solution? Well, I could suggest that by sending an SAE and Postal Order for 10/- to I, Horace Batchelor, at Dept 1, Keynsham (spelt K-E-Y-N-S-H-A-M), Bristol, you too can receive my famous Infra Draw Method of Independent Air Regulation and Investigation, but I might fall foul of some EU regulation or other!
Suffice to say that this is truly a matter of National Security, way above my OAP rate, but can and must be attended to. The real difficulty isn't the solution but the opposition from the MOD. That must be met head on and overcome. When we have an independent MAA and MilAAIB (wedded to the CAA and AAIB? Mixed civilian and Service staffed? Why not?), then I would suggest a complete reform of the MOD might be a good idea, but let's do one thing at a time!
As to funding, this would come from the long suffering British Taxpayer, via HM Treasury. Yes, I can see the problems too, but as I said earlier, the real cause of this was RAF VSOs within the MOD, not HM Government. The problem with my solution will be the personnel rather than the money. Would a dedicated branch (Air Safety?) of professional military regulators and investigators help get the Star Chamber off their backs? You are more in the know regarding the modern RAF than I. How bad is it?