AN ACR INSPECTOR FOUND 2 SIGNIFICANT MAINT DISCREPANCIES BEFORE THE FE HAD A CHANCE TO FIND THEM.

Narrative

UPON ARR AT X09 AM (L) TO ACFT N PARKED AT X FOR A THROUGH FLT FROM ELP; I WAS MET BY AN FAA INSPECTOR PRIOR TO ENTERING THE FLT DECK. AT HIS INQUIRY; I PRESENTED MY CERTIFICATE AND MEDICAL; AND THEN PROCEEDED TO COMPLETE THE COCKPIT CLEAN-UP PROCS. DURING THIS TIME; I NOTICED THAT SYS A HYD GAUGE QUANTITY WAS DISPLAYED AT 3.5. UPON FINISHING THE COCKPIT; I BEGAN THE WALK-AROUND. AT THE TAIL OF THE AIRPLANE; I WAS MET BY A DIFFERENT FAA INSPECTOR WHO OBSERVED ME FROM ENG #1 AROUND TO THE NOSE. WHILE CHKING THE AFT AIRSTAIR AREA; I NOTICED THE SYS A HYD GAUGE ALSO WAS DISPLAYING 3.5 MIN GATE DEP. SINCE THE GAUGE IN THE COCKPIT COINCIDED WITH THE ONE IN THE AFT AIRSTAIR AREA; I KNEW I WOULD HAVE THE AIRPLANE SVCED BY THE MAINT CREW. AT THE COMPLETION OF MY WALK-AROUND; THE INSPECTOR OUTSIDE ADVISED ME OF FLUID DRIPPING FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BELLY BTWN THE 2 WHEEL WELLS. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION; I FOUND A SMALL PUDDLE OF FLUID ON THE TOW-IN LINE. THERE WERE SMALL PUDDLES OF DEICING FLUID AND WATER ALL OVER THE RAMP AREA FROM THE WATER SVC TO THIS ACFT AND POSSIBLY FROM A PREVIOUS AIRPLANE. I FOUND THE LEAK TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW SYS A HYD QUANTITY. I THEN PROCEEDED TO THE FLT DECK TO MAKE A MAINT ENTRY IN THE E-6 FLT MAINT LOG ABOUT THE LEAK FOUND BTWN THE WHEEL WELLS AND USED THE JETBRIDGE PHONE TO NOTIFY MAINT OF OUR PROBLEM. I RETURNED OUTSIDE TO POINT OUT THE LEAK TO THE MAINT CREW. UPON RETURNING TO THE JETBRIDGE; THE FIRST FAA INSPECTOR ADVISED ME OF DAMAGE ON THE TRAILING EDGE FLAP ON THE L SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE. I RETURNED OUTSIDE TO OBSERVE THE DAMAGE AND THEN MADE ANOTHER ENTRY IN THE E-6 LOGBOOK. I CALLED MAINT BY PHONE; AS WELL AS NOTIFIED THE MAINT CREW MEMBER ALREADY PRESENT AT THE ACFT. I ALSO IMPARTED ALL I KNEW OF BOTH PROBLEMS TO THE CAPT I WAS FLYING WITH.