Narrative:

When I reported for my shift, our maintenance control department informed me that all of our aircraft were down for various maintenance problems. One aircraft in particular, aircraft X. I was told by maintenance controller on duty that this aircraft was not supposed to fly. This aircraft has a long history of oxygen leaks. This is a deferral per MEL 35-1 and considered a lack of oxygen in aircraft. Maintenance controller said that the aircraft could not fly per order of poi until 'every panel was pulled and we found the leak.' as my shift went on, I contacted vp of flight operations and informed him that only 1 aircraft had since been fixed. He was very irate and then spoke to maintenance controller. The vp then spoke to me again. I stated my concern regarding information I received from maintenance controller and he stated 'we don't have to do a damn thing the FAA tells us to do.' after this took place, the vp arrived at work, and maintenance controller said that aircraft X would be ready for an on-time departure. I questioned the maintenance controller on duty about the information regarding oxygen leak and inspection and he said 'we don't have any other planes, it has to go,' that's what the vp says. I contacted a captain and informed him of all of this information and the situation. We were both very irate at the vp of flight operations. The captain and I personally went to hangar floor, inspected the logbooks of aircraft X and also spoke with maintenance personnel working on aircraft. After consulting with mechanics, we both agreed that flight X could operate legally based on information on flight release and logbooks. However, we agreed prior to departure to monitor oxygen levels and consult if abnormal situation occurs. Flight X operated and landed safely. The attitude and practices of vp flight operations and director maintenance controller (who also supported vp's opinion) need to be investigated and, in my opinion, have to be removed from their position. They have no regard for safety and only care about running an operation at any cost. This has gone on repeatedly. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter is concerned with the appearance of middle management schedule pressure harassment to ensure air carrier operability at the expense of safety. Reporter was advised of the FAA safety hotline or other job affiliation that could provide legal counsel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DISPATCHER CONCERNED WITH FLT OPS MGR OVERRIDE OF MAINT CTLR, CAPT ASSIGNED TO FLT AND DISPATCHER'S PERCEPTION OF JS31 MAINT PROBS WHICH GNDED THE ACFT.

Narrative: WHEN I RPTED FOR MY SHIFT, OUR MAINT CTL DEPT INFORMED ME THAT ALL OF OUR ACFT WERE DOWN FOR VARIOUS MAINT PROBS. ONE ACFT IN PARTICULAR, ACFT X. I WAS TOLD BY MAINT CTLR ON DUTY THAT THIS ACFT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO FLY. THIS ACFT HAS A LONG HISTORY OF OXYGEN LEAKS. THIS IS A DEFERRAL PER MEL 35-1 AND CONSIDERED A LACK OF OXYGEN IN ACFT. MAINT CTLR SAID THAT THE ACFT COULD NOT FLY PER ORDER OF POI UNTIL 'EVERY PANEL WAS PULLED AND WE FOUND THE LEAK.' AS MY SHIFT WENT ON, I CONTACTED VP OF FLT OPS AND INFORMED HIM THAT ONLY 1 ACFT HAD SINCE BEEN FIXED. HE WAS VERY IRATE AND THEN SPOKE TO MAINT CTLR. THE VP THEN SPOKE TO ME AGAIN. I STATED MY CONCERN REGARDING INFO I RECEIVED FROM MAINT CTLR AND HE STATED 'WE DON'T HAVE TO DO A DAMN THING THE FAA TELLS US TO DO.' AFTER THIS TOOK PLACE, THE VP ARRIVED AT WORK, AND MAINT CTLR SAID THAT ACFT X WOULD BE READY FOR AN ON-TIME DEP. I QUESTIONED THE MAINT CTLR ON DUTY ABOUT THE INFO REGARDING OXYGEN LEAK AND INSPECTION AND HE SAID 'WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER PLANES, IT HAS TO GO,' THAT'S WHAT THE VP SAYS. I CONTACTED A CAPT AND INFORMED HIM OF ALL OF THIS INFO AND THE SIT. WE WERE BOTH VERY IRATE AT THE VP OF FLT OPS. THE CAPT AND I PERSONALLY WENT TO HANGAR FLOOR, INSPECTED THE LOGBOOKS OF ACFT X AND ALSO SPOKE WITH MAINT PERSONNEL WORKING ON ACFT. AFTER CONSULTING WITH MECHS, WE BOTH AGREED THAT FLT X COULD OPERATE LEGALLY BASED ON INFO ON FLT RELEASE AND LOGBOOKS. HOWEVER, WE AGREED PRIOR TO DEP TO MONITOR OXYGEN LEVELS AND CONSULT IF ABNORMAL SIT OCCURS. FLT X OPERATED AND LANDED SAFELY. THE ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES OF VP FLT OPS AND DIRECTOR MAINT CTLR (WHO ALSO SUPPORTED VP'S OPINION) NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED AND, IN MY OPINION, HAVE TO BE REMOVED FROM THEIR POS. THEY HAVE NO REGARD FOR SAFETY AND ONLY CARE ABOUT RUNNING AN OP AT ANY COST. THIS HAS GONE ON REPEATEDLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR IS CONCERNED WITH THE APPEARANCE OF MIDDLE MGMNT SCHEDULE PRESSURE HARASSMENT TO ENSURE ACR OPERABILITY AT THE EXPENSE OF SAFETY. RPTR WAS ADVISED OF THE FAA SAFETY HOTLINE OR OTHER JOB AFFILIATION THAT COULD PROVIDE LEGAL COUNSEL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.