The Nimrod Review - Official Documents

The Nimrod Review
Chief Engineer RAF
13.120 The “Chief Engineer RAF” CE(RAF) was a 3-Star who had overall responsibility for assuring the airworthiness
of all fleets. He reported to the Air Force Board (AFB) on fleet airworthiness. He discharged his airworthiness
responsibilities in a number of ways: setting airworthiness policy, drafting airworthiness regulations,
conducting the airworthiness review process (the RAF Logistics Command Airworthiness Review was chaired
by the CE(RAF)), and maintaining an airworthiness audit of Multi-Disciplinary Groups (MDGs). 41 MDGs were
responsible to him regarding airworthiness (see below). Strike Command were required to assure him that
they were correctly following maintenance procedures, standards and practices. The airworthiness regime
operated by the CE(RAF) included a calendar-based self-check list of requirements, an effective audit regime,
and “Support Authority Reviews”, all within an ISO 9000-based quality management system.
13.121
13.122
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The structure and lines of authority were clear, as shown in Figure 13.3 below.
CAS NAVY ARMY Y
CE (RAF)
Airworthiness h of
RAF aircraft
RAF-wide
airworthiness
policy
Audit of MDG
Engineering
Authorities o
SofS Defence
Figure 13.3: Airworthiness structure and lines of authority in 1990s
The chain of delegation for airworthiness was similarly clear. The CE (RAF) delegated responsibility directly
to the 2-Star officer who commanded the MDGs (DGSM), who in turn delegated authority to “Heads of
Engineering Authority”, 1-Star officers who commanded groups of MDGs, each of which managed the
airworthiness of aircraft or airborne equipment. This is depicted in Figure 13.4 (below). Strict protocols were
in place to ensure that there were never successive gaps in the engineering management chain; i.e. if a nonengineering
specialist filled a management post, the posts above and below his had to be filled by qualified
engineers.
41 Forerunners of the current Integrated Project Teams.