sevenstrokeroll;
I agree. "Risk Assessment" as described above is one thing but approval for it is granted on a set of circumtances at a given time. As time roll on and an airline is faced with ever decreasing revenues, the probablility for Risk Assessment abuse prevails and unless that abuse reflects in an incident, accident or regulator inspection/finding, it has the chance of staying hidden for some time. Assessment can be so subjective, whereas the AD is emphatic.
This whole issue and the responses are appearing to be more justification for what everybody knows what is really happening. The fact that it has grown to the level of a major FAA investigation shows that wake up time has come. And not a moment too soon with the pressures being felt with the high cost of fuel, competition, outsourcing of maintenance to cheaper countries and retirement of the baby boomer captains with less and less intake of experience.
carholme