These FAA compliance cost estimates are always hilariously nonsensical. In what world are turbine AP hours being billed at $85/hr?

> The FAA rejected these requests, saying the inspection intervals were to ensure excessive freeplay does not develop in either original or replacement parts. It is estimated that each inspection will take six work hours and cost $510 per aircraft, putting the cost across the US fleet at over $1 million, not including the price of replacement parts.

Doesn't sound like it.

The 737 is one of the few remaining airliners that you can turn everything off in, and still have full manual primary flight controls.

The 737-NG is relatively safe. By hull-loss accidents per million departures, it's safer than the A320ceo, less safe than the A320neo. You're thinking of the 737 MAX.

Previous generations of the 737 are among the safest jetliners ever built. The MAX will eventually end up there, too - keep in mind that aviation disasters are increasingly less common as time goes on.

This issue (wearing on the trim jackscrew and hinges) is not one that you would expect to see for many, many years. It's the kind of issue that you see on jets approaching 30 years old, and it's really hard to predict how and when this kind of thing happens.