Narrative:

I was scheduled to fly from ZZZ-ZZZ1. While flight planning I discovered a chronic problem with aircraft X. As far back as one month there were numerous write ups of 'left hydraulic press lt on.' the CPU would not permit me to retrieve any aircraft history prior to that date. I became very concerned about the condition of this aircraft; so I met the inbound captain. He advised me of having the same warning on descent into ZZZ. I immediately called maintenance control and we conferenced with ZZZ line maintenance. ZZZ offered some ideas to maintenance control; finally maintenance control said the light was deferrable; at this point in the conversation I interjected that I would like the aircraft fixed prior to my flying it. We all agreed. Later down in ZZZ maintenance; after talking to some of the mechanics I became further concerned. The pressure our maintenance people are working under seems to me to be 'excessive.' it appears to me we have adopted a 'patch it up and push it off on the next down line station.' many of our captains; myself included; will not accept these aircraft with chronic write ups. I personally have been told by four mechanics weeks earlier that; 'unless you officially refuse these aircraft we are not permitted to fix problems if they are deferrable.' we were re-assigned another aircraft and departed 6 hours late. The next day I discovered the aircraft had been signed off and released from ZZZ; only to have the exact same write up the following day; signed off once again; returned to service only to written up again; for the 12TH time in 30 days. Clearly this aircraft needs to be fixed! I realize these are very stressful times at our company. We have a very professional group of mechanics on this property. The problem is they are not given the time or resources to do their jobs properly. Many are months away from losing the jobs due to cutbacks. The stress level is obvious when I speak to them about these issues. I fear if this trend is not reversed in a timely matter we could have a catastrophic event at our company. This problem needs to be addressed now! I stand ready to assist in any way that I can.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR CARRIER CAPT REPORTS SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE ON MAINT PERSONNEL TO RELEASE AIRCRAFT FOR FLIGHT EVEN IF THE AIRCRAFT HAS OPEN MAINT ISSUES.

Narrative: I WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY FROM ZZZ-ZZZ1. WHILE FLIGHT PLANNING I DISCOVERED A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH ACFT X. AS FAR BACK AS ONE MONTH THERE WERE NUMEROUS WRITE UPS OF 'LEFT HYD PRESS LT ON.' THE CPU WOULD NOT PERMIT ME TO RETRIEVE ANY ACFT HISTORY PRIOR TO THAT DATE. I BECAME VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THIS ACFT; SO I MET THE INBOUND CAPTAIN. HE ADVISED ME OF HAVING THE SAME WARNING ON DSCNT INTO ZZZ. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MAINT CTL AND WE CONFERENCED WITH ZZZ LINE MAINT. ZZZ OFFERED SOME IDEAS TO MAINT CTL; FINALLY MAINT CTL SAID THE LIGHT WAS DEFERRABLE; AT THIS POINT IN THE CONVERSATION I INTERJECTED THAT I WOULD LIKE THE ACFT FIXED PRIOR TO MY FLYING IT. WE ALL AGREED. LATER DOWN IN ZZZ MAINT; AFTER TALKING TO SOME OF THE MECHANICS I BECAME FURTHER CONCERNED. THE PRESSURE OUR MAINTENANCE PEOPLE ARE WORKING UNDER SEEMS TO ME TO BE 'EXCESSIVE.' IT APPEARS TO ME WE HAVE ADOPTED A 'PATCH IT UP AND PUSH IT OFF ON THE NEXT DOWN LINE STATION.' MANY OF OUR CAPTAINS; MYSELF INCLUDED; WILL NOT ACCEPT THESE ACFT WITH CHRONIC WRITE UPS. I PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN TOLD BY FOUR MECHANICS WEEKS EARLIER THAT; 'UNLESS YOU OFFICIALLY REFUSE THESE ACFT WE ARE NOT PERMITTED TO FIX PROBLEMS IF THEY ARE DEFERRABLE.' WE WERE RE-ASSIGNED ANOTHER ACFT AND DEPARTED 6 HOURS LATE. THE NEXT DAY I DISCOVERED THE ACFT HAD BEEN SIGNED OFF AND RELEASED FROM ZZZ; ONLY TO HAVE THE EXACT SAME WRITE UP THE FOLLOWING DAY; SIGNED OFF ONCE AGAIN; RETURNED TO SERVICE ONLY TO WRITTEN UP AGAIN; FOR THE 12TH TIME IN 30 DAYS. CLEARLY THIS AIRCRAFT NEEDS TO BE FIXED! I REALIZE THESE ARE VERY STRESSFUL TIMES AT OUR COMPANY. WE HAVE A VERY PROFESSIONAL GROUP OF MECHANICS ON THIS PROPERTY. THE PROBLEM IS THEY ARE NOT GIVEN THE TIME OR RESOURCES TO DO THEIR JOBS PROPERLY. MANY ARE MONTHS AWAY FROM LOSING THE JOBS DUE TO CUTBACKS. THE STRESS LEVEL IS OBVIOUS WHEN I SPEAK TO THEM ABOUT THESE ISSUES. I FEAR IF THIS TREND IS NOT REVERSED IN A TIMELY MATTER WE COULD HAVE A CATASTROPHIC EVENT AT OUR COMPANY. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED NOW! I STAND READY TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN.

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