Narrative:

ZZZ1 based first officer (first officer) and scheduled to come to ZZZ and join ZZZ crew to ZZZ2.the captain and the three first officers (me being one of them) met for a [flight] brief at ZZZ flight operations. Our aircraft had an inoperative auxiliary power unit (APU). The aircraft came in day prior no problem. Maintenance could not start the APU that morning and had attempted repairs but at the present time had not put the APU in operation.winter operations were in effect for this flight. The routing to [our destination] was direct north thru northern [foreign] airspace. A major part of the flight time would be over areas where divert bases offer minimal if any services. An emergency divert into such bases could mean we would have to keep an engine running to provide heat for passengers; electricity and engine start capability (to name a few issues). The captains asked for our input in taking an inoperative APU for our trip. Myself and the two other firsts officer advocated to refuse the airplane with an inoperative APU. The captain decided to refuse the aircraft for flight if the APU is not operable.ZZZ flight operations employs a presumed retired pilot that came to brief us on aircraft status and crew legalities. I am not sure what his title or duties are as this person is unique to the ZZZ flight operations and my ZZZ1 flight operations does not operate that way. He briefed us on the inoperative APU. Our captain advised him that we would be refusing to take the aircraft without an operating APU. The retired person concluded and left the briefing area.our crew briefing concluded and the captain said he was getting some food and would meet us at the jet. The two first officers and I stayed a while more at operations. During this time the retired person came to us and said the ZZZ chief pilot was looking for the captain. We told him the captain had departed to the aircraft. He then asked us if we wanted to talk to the ZZZ chief pilot. All of us said 'no' to the question not wanting to interfere with the captain's authority of being in command of the flight and the procedures he would be following. I myself did not want to become a spokesman without conferring with my captain. The chief pilot has access to all of our telephone contact numbers and can call any of us; including the captain; directly at anytime. I can only presume this retired person called the chief pilot after he left us at the briefing to inform him of the aircraft refusal situation and hence his quick return with him looking for the captain and asking us if we wanted to talk to the ZZZ chief pilot.the two first officers and I departed operations and I arrived first to the aircraft as the APU problem was being worked by maintenance. I informed the captain the chief pilot wanted to talk to him. I do not know what steps he had taken in refusing the aircraft. He informed me that he talked to the chief pilot and was going to accept the aircraft with an inoperative APU. He asked me if I was would accept his decision and continue as a crewmember. I said 'yes' but still advocated my reasoning for refusing the aircraft with an inoperative APU. Maintenance released the aircraft for flight with a deferred inoperative APU.the flight operated normally to [the destination].

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: The First Officer of a B747 reported that he was part of a flight crew that flew an international flight with an inoperative APU.

Narrative: ZZZ1 based First Officer (FO) and scheduled to come to ZZZ and join ZZZ crew to ZZZ2.The Captain and the three first officers (me being one of them) met for a [flight] brief at ZZZ flight operations. Our aircraft had an inoperative Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). The aircraft came in day prior no problem. Maintenance could not start the APU that morning and had attempted repairs but at the present time had not put the APU in operation.Winter operations were in effect for this flight. The routing to [our destination] was direct north thru Northern [foreign] airspace. A major part of the flight time would be over areas where divert bases offer minimal if any services. An emergency divert into such bases could mean we would have to keep an engine running to provide heat for passengers; electricity and engine start capability (to name a few issues). The Captains asked for our input in taking an inoperative APU for our trip. Myself and the two other firsts officer advocated to refuse the airplane with an inoperative APU. The Captain decided to refuse the aircraft for flight if the APU is not operable.ZZZ flight operations employs a presumed retired pilot that came to brief us on aircraft status and crew legalities. I am not sure what his title or duties are as this person is unique to the ZZZ flight operations and my ZZZ1 flight operations does not operate that way. He briefed us on the inoperative APU. Our Captain advised him that we would be refusing to take the aircraft without an operating APU. The retired person concluded and left the briefing area.Our crew briefing concluded and the Captain said he was getting some food and would meet us at the jet. The two first officers and I stayed a while more at operations. During this time the retired person came to us and said the ZZZ chief pilot was looking for the Captain. We told him the Captain had departed to the aircraft. He then asked us if we wanted to talk to the ZZZ chief pilot. All of us said 'no' to the question not wanting to interfere with the Captain's authority of being in command of the flight and the procedures he would be following. I myself did not want to become a spokesman without conferring with my Captain. The chief pilot has access to all of our telephone contact numbers and can call any of us; including the Captain; directly at anytime. I can only presume this retired person called the chief pilot after he left us at the briefing to inform him of the aircraft refusal situation and hence his quick return with him looking for the Captain and asking us if we wanted to talk to the ZZZ chief pilot.The two first officers and I departed operations and I arrived first to the aircraft as the APU problem was being worked by maintenance. I informed the Captain the chief pilot wanted to talk to him. I do not know what steps he had taken in refusing the aircraft. He informed me that he talked to the chief pilot and was going to accept the aircraft with an inoperative APU. He asked me if I was would accept his decision and continue as a crewmember. I said 'yes' but still advocated my reasoning for refusing the aircraft with an inoperative APU. Maintenance released the aircraft for flight with a deferred inoperative APU.The flight operated normally to [the destination].

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.