Air Cadets grounded?

[Engines]

Mandator,

Thanks for coming back.

I think you might not be completely right about Marshall's here - but in the absence of hard information, I'm guilty of speculating - sorry if I get this wrong. The DAOS approval is given to a specified company for a specified set of activities. (Note that D stands here for design, there's also a MAOS scheme that looks after maintenance).

This looks as if Marshalls have a DAOS approval that is restricted to designing modifications and 'special installations' (whatever they are) for Viking. That does not make them the ADO (Approved Design Organisation) for the whole aircraft.

If this is true, it's not in the gift of anyone in the MoD to view them as anything else. They are either a full ADO or they aren't. Binary choice.

As far as company size goes, getting DAOS approval rests on submission of a 'design exposition' which is then examined and vetted by the MAA. They're not outside the competence of any normal; aerospace engineering firm to prepare. I've seen a few of these, and they are sometimes, to say the least, variable. As Tuc would point out, the intentions are good but the MoD's ability to tell the difference between a proper 'exposition' and what is actually happening on the ground has been weakened over the years. It's now more of a box ticking exercise, with the final decisions being made by VSOs who respond to political pressures.

Example - there's at least one organisation on that list which is approved to 'design' modifications to an in service aircraft - in actuality, they cannot 'design' anything, as they have no authority to issue drawings for that aircraft.

The other thing to note is that heavy, light, fast or slow, if its a UK military aircraft it needs an RTS to fly. Only an ADO can issue a Certificate of Design. No C of D, no RTS. No RTS, no fly. It's really as easy as that. Honestly, it's straightforward.

You're hearing it here a lot, but it bears repetition. The problem is not the regulations. It never was. It's that people aren't implementing them. Why? In large part, because they've never been taught how to do it, nor have they been required to do it. Why? Because senior people have decided that it's not worth the trouble. Or the money. That brings us to where we are now.

Question remains - who is the current ADO for the Viking? Anyone?

Best regards as ever to someone who can answer this one,

Engines