Originally Posted by
shfo
No, we would do that to get it into a maintenance base to have it looked over by a mechanic to see if there is a more serious problem. We do not have access to the maintenance pages of the MFDs that the mechanics use to troubleshoot problems. Now we are flying 3-5 days with MELed Ignitors, altitude selectors, flight guidance controllers, TCAS, GPWSs, fuel quantity indicators, VOR receivers, LAVs FADECs etc.
I have no problem doing this on small things like a burnt out overhead light bulb but I do have a problem with something that might affect the safety of flight.
If those items can be MEL'd per the MEL for the aircraft then you're good to go though. All of the MEL's have time limits listed as category A, B, C, D.
For example, an ERJ-145 can have an ignition system on MEL. According to the MMEL you have 4, you only need 3 provided that (O) One may be inoperative provided engine is started by positioning the ignition selector knob to ON. It's category B so that falls under this:
Category B. Items in this category shall be repaired within three (3) consecutive calendar days (72 hours), excluding the day the malfunction was recorded in the aircraft maintenance record/logbook. For example, if it were recorded at 10 a.m. on January 26th, the three day interval would begin at midnight the 26th and end at midnight the 29th.
So you write it up then you call MX get a control number and maybe an amendment to your flight plan then you put that it was deferred per MEL 74-20-00. The next guy gets the plane tonight and sees 74-20-00 and looks it up in the MEL book and sees the new procedure will be to select ON and that this is valid as a category B item until Wednesday night at midnight then it's a pumpkin.
It's up to maintenance control and you to ensure if there are multiple MELs that could make a compounding issue.
So I take it this is American Eagle?