Air Cadets grounded?

[Engines]

Chug,

Thanks for coming back, I really appreciate it. Discussion is always good.

I fully agree that the move of merging the old RNAIU (renamed and expanded to become the MAAIB) with the MAA was a nonsense on stilts from the very start. Moving the Defence Accident Investigation Board (DAIB) away from the MAA has to be welcomed.

The DSA is (in my view) a renaming of something that that actually existed for many years, most recently as the Defence Safety Board. It provides (again my view) a necessary 'safety focus' at the relevant level to allow the MoD to properly discharge its safety responsibilities, both to its own personnel and the wider public. The DSB was supported by a number of organisations that had built up excellent safety records, such as the Ordnance Board (the old 'OB') that looked after weapons, CINO (Chief Inspector Naval Ordnance), and the RN's Nuclear Safety Committee. I'm struggling to find a better place for it within MoD, unless it went to VCDS or someone of that ilk.

The key point was that these organisations did their jobs properly. They ensured that people understood the regulations and implemented them via clear lines of responsibility. The problem that Haddon-Cave (in my view correctly) established was that successive reorganisations in military aviation administration, many in the name of 'jointery', had diluted and confused the lines of responsibility. The problem he didn't identify so clearly was that the essential safety relevant regulations had also been mangled (and in some cases deleted altogether) as part of the reorganisations. (JSP553 was a particularly bad publication that should have been strangled at birth).

I do think (and I know you'll disagree, and I understand why) that the movement of the MAA to the DSA, and the relocation of the DAIB are at least in the right direction. Having the MAA as a three star fiefdom outside the MoD's safety management organisation was another 'nonsense on stilts'.

I do agree that there has been a scandal with regards to military aircraft airworthiness. I also agree that the RAF's senior officer cadre has a hell of a lot to answer for. However, where I must (respectfully) part company with you is the 'way forward'. I've not set my ideas out clearly enough, and my apologies for that, so here's my 'nice to see it happen' list.

First, get a panel of experienced 'greybeards' to scrub the MAA regulations and restore the intent and the detail of the missing DefStan that Tuc so often (and quite correctly) refers to. Also, restore and emphasise the basic principle of 'Build Standard-Safety Case - RTS' to the regs.

Second, restore some sense to the system and devolve responsibility for the detailed management of airworthiness engineering back down to the people who should be doing it - the Chief Engineers. MAA should set out high level policy and regulations, the Chief Engineers should issue the relevant orders and instructions to implement them. They are the people who need to re-establish LTCs, MCCs, and CCBs that actually do what they are supposed to do. The MAA's current effort to run the whole world of aviation engineering from the centre is not going to work in war, and that (last time I looked) is what Joe Public pays the Services to do.

Thirdly, start training a cadre of airworthiness engineers to implement proper airworthiness standards and practices. Give them clear lines of responsibility to their Chief Engineers, and the power to say 'NO'. Especially to say no to aircrew, whatever their rank.

While that lot is going on, have the public enquiry. Hang the guilty b******s. It will put the fear of God into those in the MoD who persist in failing to implement mandated regulations.

That's just my first stab, I'm sure others have better and more relevant ideas. I'm not sure that any public enquiry will happen soon, but perhaps the Air Cadet glider fiasco could be used to get MoD to answer what I think is the $64,000 question:

'Has the RAF been flying school children in non-airworthy aircraft?'. Yes or no answer please, preferably from AOC 22Gp.

Best regards as ever to all those trying to do the right thing at the right time

Engines