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Old 2nd Nov 2016, 22:33
  #2975 (permalink)  
Chugalug2
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: West Sussex
Age: 82
Posts: 4,765
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Engines, I'm not sure what it is you are trying to achieve by keeping it simple as you say. Haddon-Cave had much the same approach as you are taking, name a couple of relative juniors (OK they were not so junior but below the protected two stars and above Droit de Seigneur level), and presto! the problem of Nimrod airworthiness is done and dusted. Like his Golden Period it was all part of the MOD cover up. I'm not suggesting that is the purpose of your suggestion, but the ACO gliders were grounded before their lack of airworthiness killed any of your at risk school children.

As you well know, this Forum has counted 63 dead in UK Military Airworthiness Related Fatal Air Accidents. We know why each and everyone of the aircraft involved was unairworthy, when that process began, and who were the VSOs involved that caused that unairworthiness to come about in the first place. That death list won't stop there, that wastefulness will not stop there, that loss of UK Military Capability won't stop there, all of them will go on eating away at UK Military Aviation Airworthiness until the system of providing it and maintaining it is fully reformed. That won't begin to happen until the Military Air Regulator and Air Accident Investigator are made independent of the MOD and of each other.

Now that seems to me far more important and urgent than naming and prosecuting a few JOs and SOs who were simply doing what they were told, or didn't know better, or indeed knowingly furthered their careers by reengaging on their duty. Who knows? This all started with members of the RAF High Command, who ensured that the process could not be reversed by ridding themselves of all those who understood the system and refused to subvert it. Even so I don't want them prosecuted out of revenge. I want them prosecuted because only then will the cover up be exposed, enabling the necessary reforms to be carried out.

Keeping it simple will merely ensure that the rot continues. This is a nettle that my own Service has to grasp. It caused this scandal and has to face up to the consequences of its actions. There is nothing simple about that, I agree.
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