Originally Posted by
Pilot DAR
We are the aviation professionals. Sure, the FAA, and every other authority are important elements of aviation safety, but we pilots should be doing it right because we are professionals, not because the FAA could be overseeing that day. How many FAA inspectors of this era would have a working understanding of the systems of a B17? Few, I opine, the technical expertise for this vintage types lies much more with the operator than the authority. Do we, as taxpayers, want to be funding the cost to assure that the authority's inspectors are conversant with every type? We aviation professionals keep flying affordable in part by satisfying the safety system that we fly safely, rather than how we fly safely.
Where I agree with your reasoning, I think, the "improper procedures" for this case were that much way-off from proper practices, that even for a car, the "repairs" would not be acceptable. And it should be visible to all and everybody "what is going on here". Please correct me, when I am wrong, though this is what I read from the report.