Dervish,
Thanks again for coming back.
I think there's an issue here which might best be called 'the particular versus the general'. As an old retired engineer who strove mightily and happily to achieve a rank well below VSO, I tend to focus on the 'particular'. In this case, it's the spectacle of the RAF (a service whose people I had huge respect for) failing to execute a simple and non-onerous task - look after a fleet of very simple light aircraft. And, in so failing, putting the lives of kids at risk. I'd like to see some proper transparency and answers over this 'particular'.
The 'general' issues are just as real, but harder to pin down. Once you start trying to put blame on 'VSOs', or 'systems' or 'organisations', in my experience it inevitably ends up with lots of disappointed people. Why? Well, the tendency for VSOs to protect themselves and ex-VSOs, and so on. Plus the way that bureaucracies hate to be embarrassed.
I'd just like someone to focus like a laser on this 'particular', and start hauling those directly responsible (if necessary those of relatively low rank, e.g. the people who signed off the quality audits on the glider maintenance shops) into the light and getting the facts exposed. If that leads on to VSOs, fine. But let's start digging.
Best Regards as ever to all those out there doing the right thing
Engines