AFTER MECHANIC SMOOTHED OUT THE SHARP EDGES OF A PAINT CHIP AND BUBBLE AT THE LEFT STATIC PORT IN THE RVSM AREA; A MAINT SUPERVISOR DEFERRED THE PAINT CHIP AND RELEASED THE B757-200 ETOPS ACFT. AN RII INSPECTION WAS REQUIRED.

Narrative

B757-200 WAS SCHEDULED TO DEPART FROM ZZZ GATE; A LOG ITEM STATING 'PAINT CHIP AND BUBBLE IN RVSM AREA.' THE FLT WAS DUE TO DEPART WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL MINS. I WAS THE SUPVR OF THE TERMINAL; AND WENT TO THE GATE TO SEE IF THE GATE MECH NEEDED ANY HELP. THE GATE MECH STATED THAT EVERYTHING WAS COMPLETED; BUT HE NEEDED ASSISTANCE DEFERRING THE PAINT CHIP LOG BECAUSE HIS RELEASE HAD EXPIRED. I REVIEWED THE AMM WHILE THE MECH EXPLAINED THE ACTIONS HE TOOK WITH THE ITEM. HE STATED THAT HE USED A 'SCOTCH BRITE' PAD TO SMOOTH OUT THE SHARP EDGES OF THE PAINT CHIP (WHICH MEASURED 1 INCH IN DIAMETER AT THE 1100 POS 8 INCHES FROM THE L SIDE STATIC PORT). PARAGRAPH 'D' OF AMM STATES THAT IF THE PAINT THICKNESS IS REDUCED BY MECHANICAL MEANS; THE PAINT IRREGULARITY COULD BE WITHIN LIMITS. I AGREED WITH THIS STATEMENT AND DEFERRED THE ITEM. I WAS CONTACTED BY THE MAINT CTLR WHO INFORMED ME THAT ANY REPAIR TO THE RVSM SENSITIVE AREA REQUIRED AN RII. I DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THE SMOOTHING OF THE PAINT CHIP WAS CLASSIFIED AS A REPAIR. THE MAINT CTLR ARRANGED FOR AN INSPECTOR TO MEET THE ACFT IN ZZZ TO ACCOMPLISH THE REQUIRED RII. I UNDERSTAND THAT REPAIRS TO THE RVSM SENSITIVE AREA IS CONSIDERED A MAJOR REPAIR AND REQUIRES AN RII; I DID NOT CONSIDER THE SMOOTHING OF A CHIPPED AREA OF PAINT A REPAIR. I WILL FROM NOW ON.