Like everything else with the FAA, the MEL is regulatory to a minimum standard and has nothing to do with safety. After something happens the minimum standard may be adjusted usually at the suggestion of the NTSB. Until then the CAPTAIN has the ability to raise the standard above the minimum when required.

Sorry, my last response was directed only at the last sentence of the quote. :eek:

No worries totally agree! You’d hope common sense would prevail in desicion making, but doesn’t always. There are a few guys out there still also looking to stick it to the company over some perceived injustice from over a decade ago..... I commute with a guy who refuses to extend or ever help scheduling because in ‘07 “they screwed me on one trip”. Sigh....

I agree. A lot of the shoot downs you described are Chicken $h!t ... I only use the authority on Chicken Salad.

While I agree with the idea that the Captain raises the bar of safety, for you to state that FAA minimum anything “has nothing to do with safety” is false and blatantly misrepresentation of their purpose.

The reason for an MEL and things like ETOPS, in the FARs is because without them safety would only be in the eyes of the beholder. It provides a minimum level of protection/safety for the general population.

No...he's right. You need only look at things like the different rest rules between 121, cargo, and 135 to see that many of the decisions that the FAA makes aren't in the interest of safety. If an 8 hour overnight isn't safe for a 121 pilot, why is it all of a sudden safe for a 135 pilot?

I have friends at the FAA that have told me that, and one at the NTSB that would probably agree.

While you (and I) may disagree and feel somethings amiss, the rules did not happen in vacume and in some simple arbitrary sort of way. So before you start to pick on the individual regs, like rest, please investigate the whys. Rest, body cycles, time zones, and such are huge areas of study these days.

There’s also differences between freight and pax operations, did you ask yourself why and whose safety is being protected?

Just so you know, when I started in this business part 121 had basically minimum rest requirements. Even after jumping 4 time zones and flying behind the clock 8 hours block to block was it. Only our ALPA contract made it more livable.

There history and it’s marked with graves, behind much of what you read and the safety of the pilot is not always what is at stake.

The reason for an MEL and things like ETOPS, in the FARs is because without them safety would only be in the eyes of the beholder. It provides a minimum level of protection/safety for the general population.

MELs came about after accidents ... Basically bargained for by operators.

ETOPs came about after a close call where an L1011 (I believe) touched down after losing 2 of the 3 engines ... And the 3rd engine was on the way ... All three had an oil seal installed incorrectly.

No safety forethought involved in either MELs or ETOPs ... Both were reactive.

Another reactive case involved rest rule ... I forget the details but it involved reserve and being on call ... Had been on the books for years but not enforced because it would have excessive economic impact on operators ... After the AA accident in LIT (I think) the FAA decided to start enforcing the rule ... I believe this accident was also cited in the creation of FAR117.