Narrative:

Flying B767-200 to ZZZ1 on flight XXX; parked at M21. Flying with first officer (first officer). Arrived at aircraft with paper work [before dawn] local. First officer was talking to maintenance control regarding the deferral of the right (rht) thrust reverser. First officer was going through the MEL and was asking if the right reverser lever was supposed to be secured down and that there were two orange collered breakers on the overhead that were out. The maintenance controller got really smart with him when first officer asked for maintenance to come out. The controller asked first officer 'well did you go out and crack the engine cowl to see if the pin was in place' what? I could not believe this response. I got on the radio and said I want maintenance out here now!!! Two mechanics came out; an older man and a younger one. The first thing out of the older mechanic's mouth after we told him what was going on was. 'Well did you read the MEL' a real smart ass!! We questioned about the two orange breakers that were pulled. Evidently they were pulled at the previous station by that mechanic during their deferral and he had turned the breaker collers backward. We pointed this out; the mechanic told us we had no business pushing in breakers. I piped in and said that these orange breakers are part of our normal preflight. The younger mechanic leaned over and told him [older mechanic] that the two circuit breakers were improperly secured in this manner and proceeded to zip tie them. They then left. First officer and I looked at each other and pulled the MEL out a second time to reaffirm the crews actions and light indication we should have. All was there; but the amber rev over the right N1 gauge was visible. We called maintenance back out. The same two fellows showed up. They investigated the light and cycled the reverser many time and it was working perfectly. The decision by maintenance control was to clear the item from deferral and return the aircraft back to CAT IIIB status with no action by the crew. Now keep in mind that with all this is going on we are preflighting and the load supervisor is throwing paper our way for the cross check. Extremely busy time. Maintenance cleared the item and we called for engine start from a cargo operator's ground support. I did not get a revised release for I forgot and it did not affect any part of the flight nor any performance. Keep this in mind!!! First officer called for start and I got both engines started. The maintenance truck with the older guy driving pulled up in front of the #1 running engine. Thank god I saw this out of the corner of my eye. They hooked up the headset and said that they had to add something to the logbook. This was now 90- minutes later; local [time]. I shut down the left engine. The paper work was updated. Door closed; started # 1 and off we go. Half way to ZZZ1 I get a commercial radio patch from dispatch. Dispatch informed me that the notation on the [aircraft] release for the thrust reverser need to be taken off and gave me her time and initials. Hey; fine no problem; I had honestly forgot. The next comment out of dispatcher's mouth over commercial radio before god and the entire united states listening was. 'Now at least you can be legal for the last half of the flight.' what; are you kidding me? Dispatcher actually said that over the radio put both me and dispatcher up for a violation. Omg!!!!! That is the reason for this report. Yes I should have gotten an amended release. I throw myself on the sword for that; for during all that chaos in ZZZ; I flat out forgot. The revision again had no effect on the flight for performance or aircraft capability; it was simply a notation change. But that should not have been broadcast over an open microphone!!!!I realize that maintenance is overworked. I can appreciate this; [but] at the same token know the crews are just as overworked and exhausted as well; holding this together to get the job done. There is no excuse for the crews to be treated by maintenance personnel in this instance or anytime for that fact. We conveyed out concerns and maintenance tried to blow us off. We were right all along in this matter. We were not going with an amber rev light on. The problem is that mechanics are being funneled through company X; a contract maintenance provider and after they get trained they leave because there is no incentive (pay) to stay. There are no experienced personal left and the ones that are staying a lot have attitude towards the crews who are the ones saving their bacon. This instance being a perfect example. Second: proper usage of commercial radio as to what not to say on the radio that could get people violated. Yes; we all make mistakes; but needless comment can be damaging.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Captain and First Officer described their negative experiences with mechanics and Maintenance Controller during a B767-200 Preflight Check and comments by a Dispatcher over Commercial Radio. The same Dispatcher also explained the limited resources for tracking Maintenance actions that do not alert Dispatchers to MEL changes that Maintenance Control initiates after their aircraft are airborne.

Narrative: Flying B767-200 to ZZZ1 on Flight XXX; parked at M21. Flying with First Officer (FO). Arrived at aircraft with paper work [before dawn] local. FO was talking to Maintenance Control regarding the deferral of the Right (RHT) Thrust Reverser. FO was going through the MEL and was asking if the Right Reverser lever was supposed to be secured down and that there were two Orange collered Breakers on the overhead that were out. The Maintenance Controller got really smart with him when FO asked for Maintenance to come out. The Controller asked FO 'Well did you go out and crack the engine cowl to see if the pin was in Place' What? I could not believe this response. I got on the radio and said I want Maintenance out here NOW!!! Two mechanics came out; an older man and a younger one. The first thing out of the older Mechanic's mouth after we told him what was going on was. 'Well did you read the MEL' A real smart ass!! We questioned about the two orange breakers that were pulled. Evidently they were pulled at the previous station by that Mechanic during their deferral and he had turned the breaker collers backward. We pointed this out; the Mechanic told us we had no business pushing in breakers. I piped in and said that these orange breakers are part of our normal preflight. The younger Mechanic leaned over and told him [older Mechanic] that the two circuit breakers were improperly secured in this manner and proceeded to zip tie them. They then left. First Officer and I looked at each other and pulled the MEL out a second time to reaffirm the crews actions and light indication we should have. All was there; BUT the amber REV over the Right N1 gauge was visible. We called Maintenance back out. The same two fellows showed up. They investigated the light and cycled the reverser many time and it was working perfectly. The decision by Maintenance Control was to clear the item from deferral and return the aircraft back to CAT IIIB Status with NO action by the crew. Now keep in mind that with all this is going on we are preflighting and the Load Supervisor is throwing paper our way for the Cross Check. EXTREMELY BUSY time. Maintenance cleared the item and we called for engine start from a Cargo Operator's Ground Support. I DID NOT GET A REVISED RELEASE FOR I FORGOT and It did not affect ANY part of the flight NOR any performance. Keep this in mind!!! First Officer called for start and I got both engines started. The Maintenance truck with the older guy driving pulled up in FRONT OF THE #1 running engine. Thank GOD I saw this out of the corner of my eye. They hooked up the headset and said that they had to add something to the Logbook. This was now 90- minutes later; local [time]. I shut down the Left engine. The paper work was updated. Door closed; started # 1 and off we go. Half way to ZZZ1 I get a Commercial Radio patch from Dispatch. Dispatch informed me that the notation on the [Aircraft] Release for the Thrust Reverser need to be taken off and gave me her time and initials. Hey; fine no problem; I had honestly forgot. The next comment out of Dispatcher's mouth over Commercial Radio before GOD and the entire United States listening was. 'NOW AT LEAST YOU CAN BE LEGAL FOR THE LAST HALF OF THE FLIGHT.' What; are you kidding me? Dispatcher actually said that over the radio put both me and Dispatcher up for a violation. OMG!!!!! That is the reason for this report. Yes I should have gotten an Amended Release. I throw myself on the sword for that; for during all that CHAOS in ZZZ; I flat out forgot. The Revision again had NO effect on the flight for performance or aircraft capability; it was simply a notation change. BUT that should NOT have been broadcast OVER AN OPEN MIKE!!!!I realize that Maintenance is overworked. I can appreciate this; [but] at the same token know the crews are just as overworked and exhausted as well; holding this together to get the job done. There is NO excuse for the crews to be treated by Maintenance personnel in this instance OR anytime for that fact. We conveyed out concerns and Maintenance tried to blow us off. WE WERE RIGHT all along in this matter. We were NOT going with an amber REV light on. The problem is that mechanics are being funneled through Company X; a Contract Maintenance provider and after they get trained they leave because there is no incentive (Pay) to stay. There are NO experienced personal left and the ones that are staying a lot have attitude towards the crews who are the ones saving their bacon. This instance being a perfect example. Second: Proper usage of Commercial Radio as to what NOT to say on the radio that could get people violated. Yes; we all make mistakes; but needless comment can be damaging.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.