in the middle 1970's I worked for the insurance company that held BA's Emplyer's Liability contract. My first job, in fact. At the one extreme was the big fat file labelled STAINES and at the other, endless, and I do mean endless, bogus claims by, almost always, male cabin staff. I recall very few complaints by female cabin staff and none by living flight deck staff. But there were enough claims to require a monthly drive to the Heathrow offices which were notable for their "bunker" atmosphere even then.

So what damage did the turnround engineer miss, despite it being "evident" ?

Methersgate...you probably handled the steward who was killed at Fumicono due to the incorrect positioning of the air stairs....
Fortunately you didn't have a claim from my wife when she was forced to operate back from Athens whilst threatening to miscarry.
One forgets the misogynistic times of the 70s.
And I suppose that the recent claim from Richard Westgate (rip) is another ploy?

The damage the report refers to, but to save you the trouble of actually reading what it says here it is:

'During the repeat Phase I Inspection at London Gatwick signs off fuselage skin damage were noted, just aft of the wing (stations1480 to 2181), with substantial areas of 'quilting' and 'rippling'of the skin panels.'

Sorry, I thought you were referring to the incident that's the subject of the thread, i.e. damage that the engineer at MAD hadn't picked up.

Many 747s have rippling and quilting of the skin aft of the wings due apparently to pressurisation cycles.

Checks by ground engineers after aircraft have encountered a heavy landing or severe turbulence, are no guarantee that it is in a safe condition for further revenue flights. How can the keel or wheel hubs be checked on a ramp?

The VC10 on display at Brooklands has an interesting history. After encountering severe turbulence over the Andes, it was flown commercially from Santiago to Gatwick but on closer inspection, the aircraft was virtually a write off requiring extensive repairs.

BCal Flight over the Andes 1

Why do I get the impression one thread contributor is either a hack or para-legal while another is a shop steward?

I think you'll find there are more than just two axes being ground in here.

Aluminium shuffler. I bet I could name at least one of them:ok:

Yes Ham Phisted. I see what you mean. A little rippling or quilting of the skin is nothing to worry about.

Aerospaceweb.org | Ask Us - Boeing 747 Disintegrating

Although the picture appears to be photo shopped

So, you use a self-confessed photo-shopped photo of an event that never occurred to justify your hounding of a pilot over another event that never occurred? :ugh:

Skin rippling behind the wings is normal on any aircraft over a couple of years of age. 737s do it, and they are built like tanks and have relatively small mass and moment on that area, so bigger jets will suffer it even more. Really, stop trying to stir trouble where no story exists.

The best skin-rippler that I have ever seen was the B-52.