Narrative:

Lately there has been an increased emphasis on on time performance. This has led to maintenance being put off because it would lead to a delayed flight. In the following case it directly led to the loss of instruments in flight. On a flight I noticed there was over 10 degrees difference between the captain's and first officer's dg. I wrote this discrepancy up in our dallas hub. Because there was so little ground time the maintenance department just changed the first officer's dg (HSI) rather than really checking out the problem, which would have taken more time. This did not correct the problem and the following day I again wrote the problem up. Again there was too little ground time for them to thoroughly check out the problem, so they only checked the system by swinging the compass. They did this because it was not time consuming and then they signed it off as corrected. On the very next flight after being airborne for about 15 mins the first officer's dg and the captain's RMI compass card (they are slaved together) failed completely and started spinning constantly in a clockwise direction. Luckily the WX was good and I could proceed with the flight per the MEL. Trying to maximize profits our company flies the airplanes virtually all day every day with no time for maintenance. Also, there are not enough mechanics to perform the maintenance. Finally, the quest for perfect on time performance prevents time being taken to perform needed maintenance. Unless there is some sort of regulatory intervention, I cannot foresee the problem decreasing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW COMPLAINT ABOUT PRESSURE FOR ON TIME PERFORMANCE CAUSING MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS.

Narrative: LATELY THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASED EMPHASIS ON ON TIME PERFORMANCE. THIS HAS LED TO MAINT BEING PUT OFF BECAUSE IT WOULD LEAD TO A DELAYED FLT. IN THE FOLLOWING CASE IT DIRECTLY LED TO THE LOSS OF INSTRUMENTS IN FLT. ON A FLT I NOTICED THERE WAS OVER 10 DEGS DIFFERENCE BTWN THE CAPT'S AND F/O'S DG. I WROTE THIS DISCREPANCY UP IN OUR DALLAS HUB. BECAUSE THERE WAS SO LITTLE GND TIME THE MAINT DEPT JUST CHANGED THE F/O'S DG (HSI) RATHER THAN REALLY CHKING OUT THE PROB, WHICH WOULD HAVE TAKEN MORE TIME. THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROB AND THE FOLLOWING DAY I AGAIN WROTE THE PROB UP. AGAIN THERE WAS TOO LITTLE GND TIME FOR THEM TO THOROUGHLY CHK OUT THE PROB, SO THEY ONLY CHKED THE SYS BY SWINGING THE COMPASS. THEY DID THIS BECAUSE IT WAS NOT TIME CONSUMING AND THEN THEY SIGNED IT OFF AS CORRECTED. ON THE VERY NEXT FLT AFTER BEING AIRBORNE FOR ABOUT 15 MINS THE F/O'S DG AND THE CAPT'S RMI COMPASS CARD (THEY ARE SLAVED TOGETHER) FAILED COMPLETELY AND STARTED SPINNING CONSTANTLY IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION. LUCKILY THE WX WAS GOOD AND I COULD PROCEED WITH THE FLT PER THE MEL. TRYING TO MAXIMIZE PROFITS OUR COMPANY FLIES THE AIRPLANES VIRTUALLY ALL DAY EVERY DAY WITH NO TIME FOR MAINT. ALSO, THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH MECHS TO PERFORM THE MAINT. FINALLY, THE QUEST FOR PERFECT ON TIME PERFORMANCE PREVENTS TIME BEING TAKEN TO PERFORM NEEDED MAINT. UNLESS THERE IS SOME SORT OF REGULATORY INTERVENTION, I CANNOT FORESEE THE PROB DECREASING.

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