Narrative:

During my preflight; I noticed that the crew oxygen pressure was below limits (1640 psi at 32 degrees C). I reported it to the station. The maintenance personnel came to the cockpit and gave me a big hassle about servicing it. I felt like the mechanic thought I was out of my mind to request proper servicing of the aircraft. The mechanic said he measured it at 1700 psi; which is still below flight manual limits to secure an on-time departure. I refused to go until the item was cleared. Servicing it took just a few mins; about the same time it took for them to argue with me about it. The ZZZZ station people are absolutely great. However; the contract maintenance there is substandard; always trying to cheat the system and coerce flight crews into an illegal maintenance release. I refused to go along because this is not consistent with air carrier and FAA regulations. I have written several reports about ZZZZ maintenance in the past; but I continue to see the same thing happen there. On the same flight; we had these predep problems: 1) low crew oxygen -- finally svced after an argument passenger oxygen pressure fluctuating between 1540-1700. 2) 'cleaned connector' (it failed again en route). 3) APU failed for no reason prior to start. The fix: 'ok' all first class and business class reading lights inoperative -- unknown fix. I thought it was deferred on the maintenance release; but it wasn't. There was so much going on with the aircraft with the APU quitting and all; that I did not see this oversight until now. Am I the only one that is concerned about this; or is this the new maintenance standard at air carrier and endorsed by the FAA?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747 CAPT REPORTS LACK OF SUPPORT BY CONTRACT MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL AT FOREIGN ARPT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

Narrative: DURING MY PREFLT; I NOTICED THAT THE CREW OXYGEN PRESSURE WAS BELOW LIMITS (1640 PSI AT 32 DEGS C). I RPTED IT TO THE STATION. THE MAINT PERSONNEL CAME TO THE COCKPIT AND GAVE ME A BIG HASSLE ABOUT SVCING IT. I FELT LIKE THE MECH THOUGHT I WAS OUT OF MY MIND TO REQUEST PROPER SVCING OF THE ACFT. THE MECH SAID HE MEASURED IT AT 1700 PSI; WHICH IS STILL BELOW FLT MANUAL LIMITS TO SECURE AN ON-TIME DEP. I REFUSED TO GO UNTIL THE ITEM WAS CLRED. SVCING IT TOOK JUST A FEW MINS; ABOUT THE SAME TIME IT TOOK FOR THEM TO ARGUE WITH ME ABOUT IT. THE ZZZZ STATION PEOPLE ARE ABSOLUTELY GREAT. HOWEVER; THE CONTRACT MAINT THERE IS SUBSTANDARD; ALWAYS TRYING TO CHEAT THE SYS AND COERCE FLT CREWS INTO AN ILLEGAL MAINT RELEASE. I REFUSED TO GO ALONG BECAUSE THIS IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH ACR AND FAA REGS. I HAVE WRITTEN SEVERAL RPTS ABOUT ZZZZ MAINT IN THE PAST; BUT I CONTINUE TO SEE THE SAME THING HAPPEN THERE. ON THE SAME FLT; WE HAD THESE PREDEP PROBS: 1) LOW CREW OXYGEN -- FINALLY SVCED AFTER AN ARGUMENT PAX OXYGEN PRESSURE FLUCTUATING BTWN 1540-1700. 2) 'CLEANED CONNECTOR' (IT FAILED AGAIN ENRTE). 3) APU FAILED FOR NO REASON PRIOR TO START. THE FIX: 'OK' ALL FIRST CLASS AND BUSINESS CLASS READING LIGHTS INOP -- UNKNOWN FIX. I THOUGHT IT WAS DEFERRED ON THE MAINT RELEASE; BUT IT WASN'T. THERE WAS SO MUCH GOING ON WITH THE ACFT WITH THE APU QUITTING AND ALL; THAT I DID NOT SEE THIS OVERSIGHT UNTIL NOW. AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS; OR IS THIS THE NEW MAINT STANDARD AT ACR AND ENDORSED BY THE FAA?

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.