Boeing is having a rough time of it right now, with parts falling off its planes left, right and center. Just last week, a wheel came loose and smashed through a car, and earlier this year the door from a 737 Max aircraft broke off mid-flight. That mid-air disaster sparked an audit from the Federal Aviation Administration, which has gone far from well.
I get where you’re coming from but as someone who’s worked in the industry where everything is super over regulated, something like this is a huge deal. Not only would they be required to use a feeler gauge. That gauge would need to be tested and calibrated every (where I worked) 2 weeks. The DIY’er in me thinks it’s ridiculous to “calibrate” a piece of metal, but in the industry and others like it, that’s what they’re required to do.
When government auditors come in and see something like this people get fired. They also search deeper because if you’re already doing something that blatant there’s going to be more to be found.
Once again this is a question of tolerance. It could be a place you only care about minimum clearance. If the spec is for a gap of at least 15 mil then a pack of 30 mil key cards makes for a bunch of cheap easily replacable go/nogo gauges with enough leway that even a worn one won’t put you under spec.
I’m most familiar with IPC standards for electronics but even in the most critical class 3 applications there are plenty of spots where the standards are effectively gauged by eyeball let alone with even a makeshift tool because those specific specs aren’t that critical for the application.
I’m also Class 3 certified and where I come from inspection will absolutely measure clearances if it’s not obviously within spec. And even then there are many that still do just to cover their own ass. God help them if QA steps in and gets a different measurement.
I have no doubt different facilities run differently. Just look at Boeing. But don’t assume they’re all run like a circus just because you worked somewhere that doesn’t do things by the book.
I agree there will be way more serious violations. The point I was really trying to make was that the FAA may have listed 100+ other more serious things that are not as catchy or mean little to people outside the industry. However, the media chose to report on this because its relatable to the average person and make it seems more significant than it really is.
“Failure to establish a validation system to ensure all components are present and installed” (4 door bolts) just doesnt have the same ring, dispite being significantly more serious, then Boeing using soap and keycards.