Narrative:

5 mins prior to scheduled departure, the ground mechanic called and asked us to release the parking brake (to trigger the 'out' time on ACARS). I told him to stand by. We had not received a 'cabin ready' from the purser, which is an item on the 'before pushback' checklist. In addition, I was not yet in my seat because I had to secure the fortress door to the cockpit. At 2 mins prior to the scheduled XA00 departure, I called the mechanic on the interphone but didn't get a reply. We then received a communication message from the station to release our brakes for an on-time departure. I refused, because to do so without positive communication with the mechanic is contrary to the flight manual, and is unsafe. Damage to aircraft, ground equipment, and/or injury/death to ramp personnel may result. The mechanic called at pushback time and said that there was a maintenance documentation and legality problem, and he would have to issue a new maintenance release document to the cockpit printer. We finally pushed back at XA13, according to our flight data and 'how gozit' report. Upon completion of the flight, I checked the computer to see who was charged with the delay and discovered that it showed that the flight departed on time at XA00. It appears that the station altered the departure time on their own. In their zeal for on-time performance, the air carrier routinely disregards SOP and safety, in addition to altering times and official flight records. I have reported this to flight operations on prior occasions, and have been ignored. I was also told to 'not make waves' and that 'the company has ways of taking care of 'whistle blowers.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777-200 CREW FOUND THAT ACR STATION PERSONNEL APPARENTLY ALTERED THE FLT OUT TIME TO SHOW AN ON-TIME DEP.

Narrative: 5 MINS PRIOR TO SCHEDULED DEP, THE GND MECH CALLED AND ASKED US TO RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE (TO TRIGGER THE 'OUT' TIME ON ACARS). I TOLD HIM TO STAND BY. WE HAD NOT RECEIVED A 'CABIN READY' FROM THE PURSER, WHICH IS AN ITEM ON THE 'BEFORE PUSHBACK' CHKLIST. IN ADDITION, I WAS NOT YET IN MY SEAT BECAUSE I HAD TO SECURE THE FORTRESS DOOR TO THE COCKPIT. AT 2 MINS PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED XA00 DEP, I CALLED THE MECH ON THE INTERPHONE BUT DIDN'T GET A REPLY. WE THEN RECEIVED A COM MESSAGE FROM THE STATION TO RELEASE OUR BRAKES FOR AN ON-TIME DEP. I REFUSED, BECAUSE TO DO SO WITHOUT POSITIVE COM WITH THE MECH IS CONTRARY TO THE FLT MANUAL, AND IS UNSAFE. DAMAGE TO ACFT, GND EQUIP, AND/OR INJURY/DEATH TO RAMP PERSONNEL MAY RESULT. THE MECH CALLED AT PUSHBACK TIME AND SAID THAT THERE WAS A MAINT DOCUMENTATION AND LEGALITY PROB, AND HE WOULD HAVE TO ISSUE A NEW MAINT RELEASE DOCUMENT TO THE COCKPIT PRINTER. WE FINALLY PUSHED BACK AT XA13, ACCORDING TO OUR FLT DATA AND 'HOW GOZIT' RPT. UPON COMPLETION OF THE FLT, I CHKED THE COMPUTER TO SEE WHO WAS CHARGED WITH THE DELAY AND DISCOVERED THAT IT SHOWED THAT THE FLT DEPARTED ON TIME AT XA00. IT APPEARS THAT THE STATION ALTERED THE DEP TIME ON THEIR OWN. IN THEIR ZEAL FOR ON-TIME PERFORMANCE, THE ACR ROUTINELY DISREGARDS SOP AND SAFETY, IN ADDITION TO ALTERING TIMES AND OFFICIAL FLT RECORDS. I HAVE RPTED THIS TO FLT OPS ON PRIOR OCCASIONS, AND HAVE BEEN IGNORED. I WAS ALSO TOLD TO 'NOT MAKE WAVES' AND THAT 'THE COMPANY HAS WAYS OF TAKING CARE OF 'WHISTLE BLOWERS.'

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.