Narrative:

Aircraft was missing a flap hinge fairing. This means the flap hinge jack screw assembly is left uncovered. The MEL places a weight penalty on this item. Additionally; in winter operations this also means the hinge working parts are subjected to ice buildup in icing conditions; as well as being washed out with deicing fluid. I cannot believe the lubricants on the working parts are not; to some degree; washed away by the application of deice fluid. In short; this condition should only be tolerated for a short time in order to get the aircraft back to a major maintenance base where repair can be made. When I flew the aircraft; the placard had been in place for over 30 days. I realize the company let go too many mechanics in the effort to reduce costs. I realize the MEL says the aircraft may be operated in this manner; but I know the MEL was not written with the intent of just not repairing aircraft while allowing their continued operation. The intent of the MEL was; is; and always will be to allow the operation of aircraft with safety of flight maintenance issues from an airport without proper maintenance facilities to an airport with proper maintenance facilities. The operation of this aircraft for a month on this MEL in winter flying with icing conditions abundant is unsafe. It may be legal; but it is clearly unsafe for extended operations in this condition. This is not the first lengthy MEL item I have seen; but it is the longest. 3 weeks ago; I had an aircraft with an inoperative fuel gauge that had been MEL'ed for at least 23 flts over a 5 day period. The MEL is quite clear on the limitations of fueling in this condition. I guarantee the required 'must be level within 1/2 of 1 degree when reading the stick' was not fully adhered to on all 23 flts. The maintenance procedure to ensure this is complex enough that outlying stations will not be able to comply.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CAPT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF DEFERRED ITEMS ON THE FLEET AND THE TIME ELAPSED BEFORE A POSITIVE MAINT FIX.

Narrative: ACFT WAS MISSING A FLAP HINGE FAIRING. THIS MEANS THE FLAP HINGE JACK SCREW ASSEMBLY IS LEFT UNCOVERED. THE MEL PLACES A WT PENALTY ON THIS ITEM. ADDITIONALLY; IN WINTER OPS THIS ALSO MEANS THE HINGE WORKING PARTS ARE SUBJECTED TO ICE BUILDUP IN ICING CONDITIONS; AS WELL AS BEING WASHED OUT WITH DEICING FLUID. I CANNOT BELIEVE THE LUBRICANTS ON THE WORKING PARTS ARE NOT; TO SOME DEGREE; WASHED AWAY BY THE APPLICATION OF DEICE FLUID. IN SHORT; THIS CONDITION SHOULD ONLY BE TOLERATED FOR A SHORT TIME IN ORDER TO GET THE ACFT BACK TO A MAJOR MAINT BASE WHERE REPAIR CAN BE MADE. WHEN I FLEW THE ACFT; THE PLACARD HAD BEEN IN PLACE FOR OVER 30 DAYS. I REALIZE THE COMPANY LET GO TOO MANY MECHS IN THE EFFORT TO REDUCE COSTS. I REALIZE THE MEL SAYS THE ACFT MAY BE OPERATED IN THIS MANNER; BUT I KNOW THE MEL WAS NOT WRITTEN WITH THE INTENT OF JUST NOT REPAIRING ACFT WHILE ALLOWING THEIR CONTINUED OP. THE INTENT OF THE MEL WAS; IS; AND ALWAYS WILL BE TO ALLOW THE OP OF ACFT WITH SAFETY OF FLT MAINT ISSUES FROM AN ARPT WITHOUT PROPER MAINT FACILITIES TO AN ARPT WITH PROPER MAINT FACILITIES. THE OP OF THIS ACFT FOR A MONTH ON THIS MEL IN WINTER FLYING WITH ICING CONDITIONS ABUNDANT IS UNSAFE. IT MAY BE LEGAL; BUT IT IS CLRLY UNSAFE FOR EXTENDED OPS IN THIS CONDITION. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST LENGTHY MEL ITEM I HAVE SEEN; BUT IT IS THE LONGEST. 3 WKS AGO; I HAD AN ACFT WITH AN INOP FUEL GAUGE THAT HAD BEEN MEL'ED FOR AT LEAST 23 FLTS OVER A 5 DAY PERIOD. THE MEL IS QUITE CLR ON THE LIMITATIONS OF FUELING IN THIS CONDITION. I GUARANTEE THE REQUIRED 'MUST BE LEVEL WITHIN 1/2 OF 1 DEG WHEN READING THE STICK' WAS NOT FULLY ADHERED TO ON ALL 23 FLTS. THE MAINT PROC TO ENSURE THIS IS COMPLEX ENOUGH THAT OUTLYING STATIONS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.