Health and Safety was very much an afterthought back in those days. With that follows airworthiness, I guess! I can remember de-greasing motor and generator bearings over a trik bath, in the mid 1970’s, often feeling quite dizzy at times. I can still hear the Chief saying “stand outside and take a few large breaths son and then get back to it”.

Interested to hear EWAD still existed in 2007. I could have sworn it was contractorised whilst at Wyton in 1993 or so. However, its life past, the OSD of the Nimrod R1, in Jul 2011 is non-existent.

Today, config change is by SM or DA mod. The MAA very much encourages the latter. But is not in a position to mandate. Both sides (MOD and the platform DA) have equal responsibility for DA mods and sign up to that fact.

Engineering decision making re different platforms is carried out within the relevant platform Project Team (largely based at MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol). The DA’s have oversight of all the decisions / activities by regular communication and meetings. The actual decision-making engineers AKA Engineering Authority (EA) are individually licenced by the MAA. They must have a good knowledge of their systems, hold an annotation of IEng or CEng. IEng and CEng annotation is a form of licence issued by the Eng Council (UK) – they are seen as “leaders” in engineering experience, knowledge and ability. Additionally, they must also have a very good understanding of the MAA regulations. These individuals are typically RAF Flt Lt / Sqn Ldr or Civil Service equivalent.

SM’s, would be written by EA staff and installed by either industry (working on behalf of the DA) or the RAF itself. The SM process of clearance does not allow industry / DA to make comment or sign up to it. However, out of courtesy a copy of the SM leaflet would be handed to the DA if they have not already seen it.

DA mod’s, on the other hand are drafted by the DA and cleared by a top-level committee called the Mods Committee (MC). The MC is chaired by a MAA licenced senior engineer (typically RAF Group Captain) or Civil Service equivalent. Issues are identified and mitigated before both sides sign up to the change. This is BEFORE any metal is cut. Issues identified during TI or PI are then put back throu’ MC following mitigation the MC documentation is resigned before production is ramped up.

The biggest mod programme I ever had any dealings with was Project JULIUS – the Chinook HC4 programme. This major change was the largest ever seen on the World-wide Chinook Force. The programme ran very smoothly indeed. In the early days a few minor issues occurred. But all were solved, to the satisfaction of both sides, within 24 hours of being notified.

Another example of what would be seen, today, as bad practice – at the time of Project JULIUS (2010) there were 20 different Special Trial Fit’s (STF’s) installed across the fleet. They all disappeared as part of JULIUS but some had been flying around since the mid 1980’s. When does trial become permanent? I had previously forgotten to mention STF’s.

12jaguar – you might like to know the Chinook RWR SRIM was later “cleared” to become SEM 238 and then DA mod 263. All before my time on the Wokka. But a good example of making progress towards best practice, I guess.