Genghis the Engineer
“but go look in the manual of your aircraft and come back and tell us how often it requires a thorough inspection of the tailplane attachment lug.”
No mention in the manual for my aircraft – but it is inspected at permit – which has just been renewed.
I'm afraid that you are showing a substantial misunderstanding of the Permit revalidation (not renewal) process.
YOU, the owner, are required to properly maintain and inspect the aircraft according to the schedule applied. Whilst it does include a limited physical inspection of the aeroplane, it is primarily an audit of YOUR management of the aeroplane. The inspection that is done, is very shallow compared to what would be done for a CofA renewal.
If you are relying upon the permit revalidation inspection to enhance your safety, beyond that audit function, then you are deluding yourself, and degrading your safety below where it should be.
With regard to the specific component, it cannot be properly inspected without partial disassembly of that part of the aeroplane. However, an LAA inspector is PROHIBITED from disassembling any part of the aeroplane during a permit revalidation inspection.
So, ultimately, nobody knows if that component is at any enhanced risk of failing on your aeroplane next week. In the previous accident, it was only a few flying hours past the permit revalidation.
G