In a climate of pressure and deadlines I see and hear more and more incidents and examples of crews NOT putting technical issues in the tech log - mainly not to upset the Engineers (Engineers - before you jump down my neck, I know you too are under a huge amount of pressure to keep the a/c servicable!) and consequently the programme.
I have experienced on several occasions technical problems that have been 'discussed' with engineers and the next crew when back at base which have been dismissed as 'this a/c is renowned for that problem, we'll look at it later, don't put it in the tech log!' - THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN........
I know there will be many of you who will say "It should go in the book - FULL STOP!", and I agree, but there are too many willing to write it on a cig packet and leave it on the Capt's pedestal for the engineers and next crew!
In light of today's sad events in Madrid, I can only hope that commercial pressures didn't have anything to do with it.
CREWS - IF YOU DEVELOP A TECHNICAL PROBLEM, YOU ARE DUTY BOUND TO PUT IT IN THE TECH LOG, NOT HAVE A 'CHAT' ABOUT IT!!!!
I'm sure there will be Engineers who read this and will think us Pilots are all too willing and ready to write a fault up....but the book stops with us. If we willfully take a known faulty a/c without putting it in the tech log, it is our lives, our licences.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, IF THIS 'CHAT ABOUT IT' CULTURE HAS CREPT INTO YOUR AIRLINE, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. IF YOUR NOT HAPPY, ASR IT THEN CHIRP IT.
IT HAS TO STOP!