FAA INSPECTOR QUESTIONS FLC OF A BRITISH EMBRAER EMB 145 (E145) REGARDING WHETHER A PREFLT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT WAS REQUIRED FOR EVERY FLT. THE FO SAID NO; EVEN THOUGH THE CAPT HAD CONDUCTED AN ABBREVIATED ONE. THE INSPECTOR THEN LEFT. HOWEVER; AN INSPECTION IS REALLY REQUIRED FOR THIS ACFT EACH FLT.

Narrative

AFTER ARRIVING AT THE GATE AT CLE I EXITED THE ACFT AND WENT INTO OPS WHERE I PICKED UP THE RELEASE AND WX. ON MY RETURN TO THE ACFT; I PERFORMED THE REQUIRED GENERAL WALKAROUND INSPECTION AND ENTERED THE COCKPIT. A DISPATCHER WAS TO RIDE JUMP SEAT FOR COMPANY REQUIRED FAMILIARIZATION AND I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BRIEFING THE DISPATCHER PRIOR TO FLT WHEN AN FAA INSPECTOR STUCK HIS HEAD IN THE COCKPIT AND ASKED WHAT THE COMPANY POLICY WAS CONCERNING WALKAROUNDS. MY FO STATED THAT IT WAS CAPT'S DISCRETION ON QUICK TURNS. THE INSPECTOR LEFT SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE STATEMENT BY THE FO WAS INCORRECT. THAT WAS THE POLICY ON OTHER ACFT IN OUR FLEET BUT NOT THE EMB145. WALKAROUNDS ARE REQUIRED PRIOR TO EVERY FLT. DISCUSSION LATER LED US TO THINK THAT THE INSPECTOR THOUGHT WE HAD NOT PERFORMED A WALKAROUND. A WALKAROUND HAD BEEN PERFORMED BY MYSELF BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THE INSPECTOR COULD NOT SEE FROM HIS POS IN THE TERMINAL AND JET BRIDGE. THIS IS A CASE OF LACK OF COM. HOWEVER; NO UNSAFE CONDITIONS WERE PRESENT AS A RESULT OF IT.