Phororhacos, I would be interested to know what all the additional equipment and staff consists of above that needed by an AME who merely does renewals. As someone who has been to these centres, I failed to see any evidence of financial investment.
We were told the CAA had closed its own centre as a cost cutting exercise, and I can understand it wanted to tread warily in passing responsibility to others, but several years have now passed and we continue to get posts about pilots being let down and forced to travel ridiculous distances. Perhaps the CAA would like to explain why other AMEs cant be approved. It might even bring the cost down, but that is another can of worms.