Narrative:

I arrived at the aircraft to find the APU placarded inoperative under MEL 49-1A. All 3 pilots were uncomfortable with a transatlantic crossing with an inoperative APU on this day; so I requested via dispatch to have the APU repaired prior to departure. Over the next hour I was called to ZZZZ operations 3 times to answer a variety of phone calls from air carrier management personnel that included operations and a chief pilot. My impression was that I was being pressured to go with the APU inoperative based solely on the fact that the MEL allowed it. 'It's been done before' was one statement that was made during one of these phone calls. It was impressed upon me that no alternative aircraft were available and that the only option was to cancel the flight. After about an hour; the above mentioned personnel were able to ascertain that the APU was in fact operative and it was the APU door that was faulty. An adjustment to the logbook was made by using MEL 49-2C which basically states that the APU door should be fixed in the open position for the flight and that the APU can be used on the ground or in flight. Maintenance action to comply with MEL 49-2C; including paperwork; was less than 1 hour and the flight left ZZZZ less than 2 hours late with; in my opinion; a vital safety item considering the conditions. The aircraft had flown multiple legs in this state (APU placarded inoperative) prior to its arrival in ZZZZ; including transatlantic operations. The cost for compliance; using the correct MEL provision; was 1 hour in labor plus; on this 8 hour flight; an extra 3000-4000 pounds in fuel. Are we using the MEL provisions to save fuel at the expense of common sense and sound judgement now? Why should I be fearful each time I go to work of 'behind the scenes' maintenance practices such as these? I wish to be informed of air carrier's remedy to correct this blatant misuse of the MEL before I consider further action.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 CAPT REFUSED TO FLY AN ACFT WITH AN INOP APU ON AN OCEANIC FLT. THE ACR MADE THE APU AVAILABLE IN FLT IF NEEDED.

Narrative: I ARRIVED AT THE ACFT TO FIND THE APU PLACARDED INOP UNDER MEL 49-1A. ALL 3 PLTS WERE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH A TRANSATLANTIC XING WITH AN INOP APU ON THIS DAY; SO I REQUESTED VIA DISPATCH TO HAVE THE APU REPAIRED PRIOR TO DEP. OVER THE NEXT HR I WAS CALLED TO ZZZZ OPS 3 TIMES TO ANSWER A VARIETY OF PHONE CALLS FROM ACR MGMNT PERSONNEL THAT INCLUDED OPS AND A CHIEF PLT. MY IMPRESSION WAS THAT I WAS BEING PRESSURED TO GO WITH THE APU INOP BASED SOLELY ON THE FACT THAT THE MEL ALLOWED IT. 'IT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE' WAS ONE STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE DURING ONE OF THESE PHONE CALLS. IT WAS IMPRESSED UPON ME THAT NO ALTERNATIVE ACFT WERE AVAILABLE AND THAT THE ONLY OPTION WAS TO CANCEL THE FLT. AFTER ABOUT AN HR; THE ABOVE MENTIONED PERSONNEL WERE ABLE TO ASCERTAIN THAT THE APU WAS IN FACT OPERATIVE AND IT WAS THE APU DOOR THAT WAS FAULTY. AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE LOGBOOK WAS MADE BY USING MEL 49-2C WHICH BASICALLY STATES THAT THE APU DOOR SHOULD BE FIXED IN THE OPEN POS FOR THE FLT AND THAT THE APU CAN BE USED ON THE GND OR IN FLT. MAINT ACTION TO COMPLY WITH MEL 49-2C; INCLUDING PAPERWORK; WAS LESS THAN 1 HR AND THE FLT LEFT ZZZZ LESS THAN 2 HRS LATE WITH; IN MY OPINION; A VITAL SAFETY ITEM CONSIDERING THE CONDITIONS. THE ACFT HAD FLOWN MULTIPLE LEGS IN THIS STATE (APU PLACARDED INOP) PRIOR TO ITS ARR IN ZZZZ; INCLUDING TRANSATLANTIC OPS. THE COST FOR COMPLIANCE; USING THE CORRECT MEL PROVISION; WAS 1 HR IN LABOR PLUS; ON THIS 8 HR FLT; AN EXTRA 3000-4000 LBS IN FUEL. ARE WE USING THE MEL PROVISIONS TO SAVE FUEL AT THE EXPENSE OF COMMON SENSE AND SOUND JUDGEMENT NOW? WHY SHOULD I BE FEARFUL EACH TIME I GO TO WORK OF 'BEHIND THE SCENES' MAINT PRACTICES SUCH AS THESE? I WISH TO BE INFORMED OF ACR'S REMEDY TO CORRECT THIS BLATANT MISUSE OF THE MEL BEFORE I CONSIDER FURTHER ACTION.

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.