A B717 WAS DISPATCHED WITH A DEFERRED ITEM ON AILERON TRIM INOP; BUT THE REQUIRED CHK PRIOR TO EACH FLT WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED PER THE MEL.

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PREVIOUS CREW WROTE UP AN 'AILERON TRIM FAIL' FAULT MSG DISPLAYED ON STATUS PAGE. MNTNC FIX WAS TO DISCONNECT AILERON TRIM MOTOR. ACFT DISPATCHED IN THIS CONDITION WAS REQUIRED TO HAVE TRIM TABS VISUALLY CHKED IN FAIRED CONDITION. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THIS REQUIRED A MNTNC SIGN OFF AT EACH DEP (I STILL HAVE CONFLICTING INFO IF IT DOES OR NOT); BUT FLEW APPROX 9 OR 10 LEGS WITHOUT A SIGN OFF (AS DID SEVERAL OTHER CREWS). MEL SHOULD STATE SPECIFICALLY THAT THIS IS REQUIRED OR NOT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE STATION THAT DEFERRED THE AILERON TRIM DID NOT MAKE THE VISUAL CHK AT DEFERRAL AND IT WAS ASSUMED NO CHK WAS REQUIRED. THE RPTR STATED THE RELEASE WAS DELIVERED PRIOR TO THE DEFERRAL AND ANY SPECIAL CHKS WOULD HAVE BEEN NOTED. THE RPTR STATED CALLING IN FLT TO THE MNYNC CTLR QUESTIONING THE REQUIRED CTLR TAB CHK AND WAS ADVISED THAT ITS NOT REQUIRED. THE RPTR STATED AFTER COMPLETION OF THE TRIP AND CHKING THE MEL IT WAS OBVIOUS THE CTL TABS WERE TO BE CHKED PRIOR TO EACH DEP.