Narrative:

Aircraft was dispatched with inoperative leading edge device indication, a speed restr of 300 KIAS below FL200 and .65 mach above FL200. Company filed us at FL200 to obtain highest true airspeed/gndspd combination for scheduling purposes. We departed den for ont per flight plan. About 1 hour into flight I realized 'they can't dispatch us at FL200 on a method 2 driftdown released flight.' method 2 dispatch requires dispatch at or above FL240 in order to make driftdown requirements to nearest suitable airport/en route alternate. I requested climb to FL240 and continued flight to destination with no further deviations from sops. This is another case of being dispatched contrary to FARS and sops. The company apparently doesn't know what the required procedures are for dispatch and as usual it falls in the pilot's lap to oversee everything operationally. I've only been a captain for 3 weeks and already I'm required to be vigilant not to what operational forces are trying to trick us but to what our own company is trying to do to us (either intentionally or unintentionally). This isn't the first 'company tries to screw you up illegality' I've seen by a long shot and it won't be the last.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DISPATCHED WITH A LEADING EDGE DEVICE INDICATOR DEFERRED AND A RESULTANT ALT SPD RESTR. RPTR QUESTIONS DISPATCH LEGALITY OF RESTR WITH METHOD II DISPATCH. PROBABLE MISUNDERSTANDING OF METHOD II.

Narrative: ACFT WAS DISPATCHED WITH INOP LEADING EDGE DEVICE INDICATION, A SPD RESTR OF 300 KIAS BELOW FL200 AND .65 MACH ABOVE FL200. COMPANY FILED US AT FL200 TO OBTAIN HIGHEST TRUE AIRSPD/GNDSPD COMBINATION FOR SCHEDULING PURPOSES. WE DEPARTED DEN FOR ONT PER FLT PLAN. ABOUT 1 HR INTO FLT I REALIZED 'THEY CAN'T DISPATCH US AT FL200 ON A METHOD 2 DRIFTDOWN RELEASED FLT.' METHOD 2 DISPATCH REQUIRES DISPATCH AT OR ABOVE FL240 IN ORDER TO MAKE DRIFTDOWN REQUIREMENTS TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT/ENRTE ALTERNATE. I REQUESTED CLB TO FL240 AND CONTINUED FLT TO DEST WITH NO FURTHER DEVS FROM SOPS. THIS IS ANOTHER CASE OF BEING DISPATCHED CONTRARY TO FARS AND SOPS. THE COMPANY APPARENTLY DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE REQUIRED PROCS ARE FOR DISPATCH AND AS USUAL IT FALLS IN THE PLT'S LAP TO OVERSEE EVERYTHING OPERATIONALLY. I'VE ONLY BEEN A CAPT FOR 3 WKS AND ALREADY I'M REQUIRED TO BE VIGILANT NOT TO WHAT OPERATIONAL FORCES ARE TRYING TO TRICK US BUT TO WHAT OUR OWN COMPANY IS TRYING TO DO TO US (EITHER INTENTIONALLY OR UNINTENTIONALLY). THIS ISN'T THE FIRST 'COMPANY TRIES TO SCREW YOU UP ILLEGALITY' I'VE SEEN BY A LONG SHOT AND IT WON'T BE THE LAST.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.