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.
VOR receivers? Unless you have 3 (2 and a spare) these cannot be MEL'd. At least at the 2 previous carriers I worked at and my current one as well. At my current airline EGPWS is a category C item and has 10 days but the GPWS is a category A. They allow us to MEL any portion of the enhanced portion and it is a 10 day. But there are restrictions like windshear inop cant fly into areas of possible windshear. But all the others you state well you might fly for up to 10 days with a lot on that list before it is addressed. At my airline MEL's can be extended as well on category B and C items if there is a good reason like a hard to acquire part. MEL's are there for a reason to keep a/c moving. For the most part it covers issues like anti ice items etc. pretty well it will not be allowed to dispatch in known icing or thunderstorms that is where maint control and dispatch agree on it. It is up to individual flight crews to determine if a legal MEL is something that they are not comfortable with and act accordingly. At my previous carrier capts could refuse A/P, autopressurization, APU MELS for any reason no questions asked.