Hi Dave, what I have been told by the guys in the know, is the same thing as what you basically just said, there are several versions of the Puma, they by the sound of it will be checking them all no matter what variant by the look of it at the moment. The same sort of problems have occured with Chinooks, Sea kings and a few others, the new civvy version of the Hawk is under investigation too as I beleive from a US mate of mine.
Cost cutting? I would not like to say, but, those bolts if that was the problem? Have to be of a certain tensile strength, not just any nut or bolt.
The reported problems and these two crashes just lately described by survivors, is hearing a loud mechanical bang, the aircraft then goes in to a free fall spin with no controll and either the main assembly or the tail pylon breaks away, they first thought it was the thrust bearings, but, they are now not too sure, but, I better not say anything else on this for now.
Paul...