REQUIRED INSPECTION ON ACR LTT NOT ACCOMPLISHED ON TIME. FLT CREW QUESTIONS LEGALITY OF MAINTENANCE EXTENDING TIME TO GET ACFT TO MAINTENANCE BASE.

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THE CREW OF A SCHEDULED FLT FROM SGF TO MEM RPTED TO THE ACFT FOR A SCHEDULED XA45 DEP. DURING THE PREFLT OPS AND CHKS IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A REQUIRED WEEKLY INSPECTION HAD BEEN DONE THE PREVIOUS DAY AND THAT THE ACFT WAS OUT OF INSPECTION. AT THIS POINT I CALLED MY OPS IN MEMPHIS AND MY MAINT DEPT. AFTER EXPLAINING MY SITUATION TO THE MAINT SUPVR ON DUTY; AND AFTER APPARENT CONSULTATIONS ON HIS END; I WAS ADVISED BY MAINT THAT HIS REGS ALLOWED THE TIME BTWN REQUIRED MAINT TO BE EXTENDED FOR A SMALL AMOUNT. I WAS ADVISED THAT A 2 HR EXTENSION WAS APPROVED AND THAT I COULD FLY THE ACFT BACK TO MEM. I THEN CALLED MY OPS WHO ADVISED ME THAT THEY HAD THE SAME INFO AND THAT I COULD RETURN. UPON ARR IN MEM I HAD MAINT PERSONNEL MEET ME AT THE ACFT TO PERFORM THE REQUIRED INSPECTION. I ASKED THE MAINT LINE SUPVR ABOUT THE SITUATION AND HE TOO ADVISED THAT THEY WERE ALLOWED TO OVERFLY THE REQUIRED INSPECTION INTERVAL BY A CERTAIN SMALL AMOUNT. HE THEN STATED THAT THEY WOULD RPT THE INCIDENT TO THE FAA AND THAT THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE FINED A SMALL AMOUNT. THIS IMMEDIATELY RAISED THE QUESTION OF LEGALITY. IF; INDEED; IT IS LEGAL TO OVERFLY THE REQUIRED MAINT INTERVAL BY A SPECIFIED AMOUNT WHY WOULD THERE BE A FINE FOR DOING SO? AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND AFTER DISCUSSING THE SITUATION WITH MY CHIEF PLT; I STILL CANNOT BE SURE IF I VIOLATED FED REGS OR NOT.