I don't know if we actually see many LAME comment on pilot or nav matters on most forums. From what I am seeing I am guessing many pilots seem to think that they may have knowledge on aircraft maintenance matters.
This has carried over from the transparencies thread but I made a comment there that the rules can't easily be read in isolation.
I can think of one example straight off that may resonate with a few here.
I was working in one country many years ago when they went through a rule revamp.
Anyway it had the expected clause about ground running and taxiing aircraft by non-pilots. No-where did it say that LAME's could not actually fly the aircraft though. As we know if you understand the aircraft inside out and can taxi and do ground runs etc then flying is easy after that.
I know myself and several other engineers had a very good understanding of the rules, if perhaps a little selective.
Anyway we noticed that if the engineering staff flew on the aircraft immediately prior to the maintenance check we could detect minor defects that may have been overlooked otherwise. Door noise and other similar rattles etc comes to mind.
Anyway eventually I started flying the aircraft and could then pick up on such things such as throttle cable notchiness in the cruise, or having to resync the pitch. The pilots enjoyed the new feel of the machines so much that I did a deal with one whereby I flew his last flight of the day. It was after my work in the hangar anyway and I could then tackle any abnormalities straight away the following day.
We were often carrying fare paying passengers but I never did tell them that I was the engineer.
Why would I and as was stated on the other thread there was no harm done.
I know the other engineers were doing exactly the same with other companies. I am sure the reasoning was the same, many defects were getting rectified that would otherwise be missed. That has to be a good thing and as I said no-where in the rules did it say that we couldn't.
It is just a matter of which eye you have to close when you read, right ?
For all that, flying an aircraft is a little over-rated. There is nothing that difficult about it.