Engineer, not transport driver, here...
Moderator John commented:"
"I recall, years ago during the early 733 days in Australia, a CASA airworthiness engineer asking me over coffee whether I would be concerned taking a 733 minus a chine without any engineering consideration.
I think my ashen face gave him my answer ... (
emphasis added) it transpired that a local operator (the other one - not mine) had done just this a few days prior ... CASA had, quite appropriately, taken a dim view of the matter ..."
I would take more than a dim view of this. I would not start the SOB in that condition, let alone fly with it. I'd like to think John is making fun or yanking our chains a bit here, but he does not do that. CASA's 'dim view,' must be the understatement of the year; they should have grounded the entire fleet where located, until complete inspections were done. This falls into the 'you've got to be kidding me,' class, except that again, Moderator John does not do that. CASA nailed it; a seriously stupid practice. I have to wonder if there was an investigation and/or report covering the circumstances. John?? If so, can you dredge up a link? Thanks...
