Originally Posted by
rickair7777
Many companies hire many people to make decisions. Hundreds or maybe thousands get fired every day for making the wrong decision. Being a captain at a regional airline does not grant you dictator-like powers anywhere within 500 yards of an airplane.
We are granted the most leeway (more than most other professions) during in-flight operations because it may not always be practical or expedient to consult with other folks.
Apply some reasonable common sense...you have to comply with things like the OPSPEC and MEL at a minimum. But in the interest of economics, airlines are not going to like it if you create your own standards, higher than those approved by the FAA. Of course you take into account extenuating factors, but if there are none you usually need to go by the book.
In the past I can think of only a few times when I had a MEL item deferred and I would not take the plane flying. As I am sure most MELs do, our's state the MEL does not relieve the operator from determining if it is safe and that operators must exercise necessary operational control it ensure safety.