@thcrozier:
"What % of transport aircraft suffer tail strikes and are subsequently repaired and returned to service during their service lives?"
This question is very much on my mind today. We know of two terrible accidents in Asia attributed to failure of an improper rear bulkhead repair.
If (as now seems somewhat likely) the Metrojet catastrophe may be added to this list, then the major aviation regulatory bodies around the world will surely be pressed to take a fresh look at the hazards of major damage repairs to such a critical airframe structure.
If anyone has, or knows how to find, data on the frequency of tail strikes and the "distribution curve" of consequent repair efforts, I would be very interested to see it.
How many RBH repairs, versus how many "time-bomb" blow-outs years after the repair?