A DC9-10 WAS RELEASED FOR SVC AND OPERATED WITH EXTENSIVE BELLY SKIN CORROSION THAT WAS NOT REMOVED; NEUTRALIZED AND PRIMED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STRUCTURAL REPAIR MANUAL.

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DURING NORMAL MAINT CHK INSPECTION; FOUND BELLY SKIN CORROSION ON ACFT. I ALERTED MAINT MGR; WHO SAID HE WOULD SIGN THE CARD OFF AGAINST A NEW NON DESTRUCTIVE TESTING CHK THAT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED. THE SIGNOFF OF THE 2 CARDS DOES NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE CORROSION. I NOTIFIED MY LEAD INSPECTOR AND HE CONFIRMED MY FINDINGS OF BELLY SKIN CORROSION. I HAVE 30 YRS ACFT EXPERIENCE AND MY LEAD MECH HAS OVER 40 YRS EXPERIENCE ON ACFT. IT COULD BE ACR IS USING FAULTY EQUIP OR A FAULTY PROC. FIRST; THERE ARE NO LIMITS FOR CORROSION. IT SHOULD BE REMOVED; NEUTRALIZED AND TREATED AND PRIMED. THEIR EQUIP HAS NO WAY OF JUDGING HOW MUCH CORROSION IS ON THE STRUCTURE UNDER THE BELLY SKIN (LONGERONS RIVETS; FRAMES; ETC). IF THIS IS THE COMPANY'S NEW POLICY FOR DEALING WITH CORROSION; WE ARE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE. THESE CARDS WERE BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF MAINT MGR; QUALITY ASSURANCE LEAD; 2 QUALITY ASSURANCE MGRS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE DIRECTOR WITH NO SUCCESSFUL ACTION TAKEN ON THEIR PART. THE ABOVE ACFT; ACR XYZ SERIAL NUMBER ZYYY MANUFACTURER DATE 1966. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THIS ACFT IS IN BAD SHAPE DUE TO THE BELLY SKIN CORROSION WITH BULGES AROUND ALL THE RIVETS. THE RPTR SAID THE PROB IS THAT UNLESS THE SKIN IS OPENED; THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE TO THE STRINGERS AND CIRCUMFERENTIALS IS UNKNOWN. THE RPTR STATED THIS AIRPLANE IS ABOUT 33 YRS OLD AND MGMNT KNOWS IT WILL NOT SEE ANOTHER HVY CHK OR OVERHAUL FOR ABOUT 5 YRS AND COULD BE RETIRED BEFORE THAT TIME. THE RPTR SAID THE STRUCTURAL REPAIR MANUAL IS CLR AND CONCISE ABOUT WHAT PROCS MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED WHEN CORROSION IS RPTED. THE RPTR SAID THE CORROSION RPTS WERE SHOWN TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF LCL MGMNT AND NO POSITIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN. THE RPTR STATED THE BELLY SKINS WERE PAINTED AND THE ACFT PUSHED OUT AND RELEASED FOR SVC.