Final answer:
When a minor defect is discovered during a trip, it should be reported within 24 hours to ensure safety and proper maintenance.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the course of a trip, if you discover a minor defect, the correct action to take is to report it within 24 hours. This ensures that the issue can be addressed in a timely fashion to maintain safety standards.
It's important to not ignore the defect, even if it's minor, because it could lead to bigger problems down the line. Immediate repair would be ideal, but it may not always be feasible depending on the situation.
Reporting within a set timeframe, however, is a realistic and required practice in most professional scenarios.