RAF not keeping the children safe
Engines This is what makes the whole episode so sad. The VGS and the 'Schools' before them operated a system that was both simple and safe. In fact I doubt if there is a flying training system anywhere in the world that had such a good record. The fleet was not going to fall out of the sky and the schools would not have operated them if there was a risk as they had decades of experience behind them that kept a close watch on things at the coal face.
If the same level of capability and care was present in the full time paid system we would not be in this state now. I would say that system was safe; but only because those at the sharp end knew their business.