Deferred Defect / MEL
Before posing my question / admitting my ignorance, I should confess that this is a pilott (aka 'seat-stick sloppy link') asking:
My belief is that the Deferred Defects list is an operations controlled document, rather than engineering, and that a primary use is to allow the continued operation of an aircraft, in accordance with the MEL, in the absence of the ability of engineering to clear a defect - for whatever reason.
I also understand that it is important for a oompany to approve their flight crew to be able to raise a defect, and then transfer it to the DDL (again iaw MEL).
Question is, am I correct in this belief? The information I am hearing is that, under EASA regs., any tech log entry beyond a pre-flight inspection requires a CRS, and a suitably qualified engineer to sign off - or defer ... so flight crew cannot defer a defect in any case?
It seems that this would tend to lead to the situation mentioned elsewhere, where defects are carried and not written up, since the aircraft will otherwise be grounded until an engineer can get to it!
Thanks for any advice...