V-Flyer

How common is it to see loose screws, hanging half out, on an aircraft wing. I ask as that is what I saw on a recent Thomson flight to Orlando and is it anything to get concerned about?

That would have given me the willies, but I suspect a few loose rivets on a wing is not that bad a thing.

I was an aircraft technician many moons ago. If you were in flight, generally a loose screw wouldn't stay there very long because of vibration and wind forces etc. Could be a worn spring fastener that has popped out (not really a problem) unless they all pop out at once. Then the whole panel would part from the wing. But even then that wouldn't be major. If you were on the ground. It really should have been noticed by the engineers or indeed the pilot on a pre flight walk around check. I always point out loose rivets and crack repairs to my wife when we fly, she's not a great flyer..... Haaaaaa. Sorry if this is a bit too geeky for some.

not too geeky at all, was just what I needed to hear it popped up during the final decent and fell out on touchdown. judging by its length it seems logical it was a spring.

Anything like that freaks me out. Not the same thing but recently, our flight was struck full-on by lightning just after take-off from LGW. I was desperately hanging on to my school girl science and the bit about how being in a car is the safest place during lightning - and assume the same applies for being on a flight. Scared me though...