Hmmm
I would like to say that some of the guys here are close to the mark but not quite.
That is not the case though. I have been flying and certifying aircraft from GA, airline and military disciplines in many countries, and for decades. Some of what is being stated here is nonsense. Many of us can see that.
What we are seeing here is a series of generalisations and naturally many are not really accurate.
We do have parameters, we also have standards, publications, experience and knowledge. The aircraft are maintained iaw a variety of publications and I don't know if I have ever seen anything close to black and white.
I can say that the GA fleet of 1980 was different to the fleet of 2010. Yes, the aircraft are for the most part the very same ones but the publications and procedures have been modified to accommodate them.
I personally don't have an issue with aging aircraft, indeed I am much happier sitting behind a Lycoming engine operated 100 hours beyond the manufacturers recommended TBO than one that has been newly minted or reborn.
Just like we have a wide range of pilot proficiency we have a similar standard with the way aircraft are maintained.
A worn but maintained and serviced machine may not be necessarily any more at risk than a brand new machine. It is the pilots that crash machines all said and done anyway.
Even the military don't throw brand new items at an aircraft, no aircraft I have ever worked on has ever been maintained in that manner.
I have never, ever measured tyre tread or torqued a valve cap. I cannot ever recall seeing such a requirement.
It will be what is written in the records that trips guys up. I would imagine that it is the holes where tasks have been missed rather than the manner in which they were done that would be the issue.
If a job has been certified as being done in an acceptable fashion then chances are it has. If there is a problem at this point then of course further questions should be asked.
Being picky and pedantic does not necessarily make for a safer aircraft... often it just shows up the jerks.
The regulators are aware of that also.