Reporter cites instances of deferred maintenance as a dangerous policy practiced by an air carrier.

Attributes
ACN	116045
Time
Date	198907
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 23000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	116045
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Experienced excessive pressure from maintenance supervisor to depart on schedule with mechanical problems (due to no replacement parts available at this main base). When I delayed flight until both the dispatcher and I were satisfied, and I got a hard copy teletype authorization to proceed, I was required to report to my chief pilot to explain this delay. See trip reports enclosed (confidential). This happens constantly at this air carrier and many pilots feel intimidated by the company whenever they take positions affecting safety!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER CITES INSTANCES OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AS A DANGEROUS POLICY PRACTICED BY AN ACR.

Narrative: EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE PRESSURE FROM MAINT SUPVR TO DEPART ON SCHEDULE WITH MECHANICAL PROBLEMS (DUE TO NO REPLACEMENT PARTS AVAILABLE AT THIS MAIN BASE). WHEN I DELAYED FLT UNTIL BOTH THE DISPATCHER AND I WERE SATISFIED, AND I GOT A HARD COPY TELETYPE AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED, I WAS REQUIRED TO REPORT TO MY CHIEF PLT TO EXPLAIN THIS DELAY. SEE TRIP REPORTS ENCLOSED (CONFIDENTIAL). THIS HAPPENS CONSTANTLY AT THIS ACR AND MANY PLTS FEEL INTIMIDATED BY THE COMPANY WHENEVER THEY TAKE POSITIONS AFFECTING SAFETY!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.