Am I thick?....or am I missing something?
OVER 15 years have elapsed, that means it had initial inspection and approval by a properly qualified person and, (unless it's a hangar queen) it has had at least 14 subsequent ANNUAL inspections by qualified persons.
I would think that any likelihood of it being of "dubious" airworthiness,has long been disproved.
Steve, you're not thick, but you're definitely missing something.
Never, I mean NEVER, assume that simply because the aircraft is alleged to have been inspected, that it's safe. When you go fly, you're responsible for making that determination yourself.
I've had all manner of experiences involving problems following an inspection..even aircraft which have been "trouble free" for many years. I've performed inspections and found tens of thousands of dollars worth of problems...in aircraft which had been declared problem-free by previous inspectors and mechanics.
Some years ago I took a job as Director of Maintenance for an ambulance operation, flying King Air's. I soon discovered that the maintenance program was grossly in error, and found hundreds of hours discrepancies in parts, components, cycles, landings, etc. I found the wrong standard for measuring time on the aircraft was in use, missing log entries, missing airworthiness directives, and one requirement out of date by eighteen years. It was two phase inspections in error, given the other record keeping oversights, and numerous incorrect things had been done to the aircraft which required correction.
I've pulled an airplane out of maintenance only to return it not once, but seven times...each time during the preflight I'd find something else wrong. This, after the mechanic assured me he'd performed a check flight following the maintenance. I found the tanks bone dry, the ailerons rigged backward, all the inspection plates missing on the underside of the aircraft, etc.
I've found tools left aboard, wire bundles and other things blocking controls, cracked spars, broken wheels or gear, cracked control surface attach brackets, and so forth. Never assume that simply because someone else looked it over and signed it off that it's safe, or even airworthy.
Never overlook the mechanic out there, most likely the one you don't know about, who signs off inspections for a fee, but never looks at the airplane. Don't assume...assumption and guesswork in aviation will get you killed.