Narrative:

The current MEL for the large transport chapter 24-1 gens and constant speed drive units (CSD) allows an large transport to be dispatched on scheduled airline flying with 1 gen/CSD inoperative. This is a category B MEL which allows the aircraft to be operated for 3 days after midnight of the date of the me. Under worst case, an large transport could be operated in airline service for 95 hours and 59 mins before repairs are required. During this time on MEL, the aircraft may be operated through an airlines maintenance base(south) any # of times with no requirement that repairs be made. Under the previous MEL, there were provisions for crew members to restrict the operation of the aircraft with this type of MEL. Under the current MEL there are no provisions for crew members to restrict operations of the aircraft for any reason, or to provide protection for a crew member who does restrict the operation of the aircraft. As airlines continue to expand and crews with less experience come on line, the pressure of these type of MEL items are too great a compromise of safety. There need to be provisions for pilot input and control of major MEL items. The current MEL seems to put more emphasis on profit than safety, by not requiring quick repair of major aircraft systems.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PIC REPORTS THAT THE COMPANY MINIMUM EQUIPMENT LIST HAS BEEN ALTERED IN THAT THE RESTRICTIONS TO OPERATION WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM CREW MEMBERS DISCRETION AND PLACED MORE IN A HARD, SET OPERATIONAL MODE, AND HE FELT THAT CREW MEMBERS WHO MIGHT TAKE A MORE CONSERVATIVE APCH TO RESTRICTING THE OPERATION OF THE ACFT MIGHT HAVE NO RECOURSE AGAINST ANY COMPANY ACTION AS A RESULT OF THEIR ACTIONS.

Narrative: THE CURRENT MEL FOR THE LGT CHAPTER 24-1 GENS AND CONSTANT SPD DRIVE UNITS (CSD) ALLOWS AN LGT TO BE DISPATCHED ON SCHEDULED AIRLINE FLYING WITH 1 GEN/CSD INOP. THIS IS A CATEGORY B MEL WHICH ALLOWS THE ACFT TO BE OPERATED FOR 3 DAYS AFTER MIDNIGHT OF THE DATE OF THE ME. UNDER WORST CASE, AN LGT COULD BE OPERATED IN AIRLINE SVC FOR 95 HRS AND 59 MINS BEFORE REPAIRS ARE REQUIRED. DURING THIS TIME ON MEL, THE ACFT MAY BE OPERATED THROUGH AN AIRLINES MAINT BASE(S) ANY # OF TIMES WITH NO REQUIREMENT THAT REPAIRS BE MADE. UNDER THE PREVIOUS MEL, THERE WERE PROVISIONS FOR CREW MEMBERS TO RESTRICT THE OPERATION OF THE ACFT WITH THIS TYPE OF MEL. UNDER THE CURRENT MEL THERE ARE NO PROVISIONS FOR CREW MEMBERS TO RESTRICT OPS OF THE ACFT FOR ANY REASON, OR TO PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR A CREW MEMBER WHO DOES RESTRICT THE OPERATION OF THE ACFT. AS AIRLINES CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND CREWS WITH LESS EXPERIENCE COME ON LINE, THE PRESSURE OF THESE TYPE OF MEL ITEMS ARE TOO GREAT A COMPROMISE OF SAFETY. THERE NEED TO BE PROVISIONS FOR PLT INPUT AND CONTROL OF MAJOR MEL ITEMS. THE CURRENT MEL SEEMS TO PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON PROFIT THAN SAFETY, BY NOT REQUIRING QUICK REPAIR OF MAJOR ACFT SYSTEMS.

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.