Originally Posted by
John Eacott
A bane of aviation life in Australia are the dictates from operators to restrict pilots from carrying out their obligation to enter unserviceabilities in the Maintenance Release. It seems to evolve (mainly in fixed wing) at an early stage of pilot training and was something I had to get almost every new fixed wing pilot out of the habit when they started working for me. I always suspected it came from the use of privately owned aircraft used by such schools where the owner couldn't afford proper maintenance.
It is patently the pilot's duty to enter a snag into the MR. Should a LAME then sign off the entry the responsibility devolves back to him, but whatever you do resist pressure from any part of management to prevent you carrying out your legal obligation when signing for a helicopter. Your signature in the MR for the preflight means that you've accepted responsibility for the machine and its condition for flying during that day, including another pilot taking over from you for a later trip. And at the end of your flight, it is your obligation to enter any U/S items, something that cannot be stopped by another person.
Agree completely. You are never helping anyone by not writing it up. As a engineer I can always say if there was no defect entered then there was never an issue and do nothing.
If its a non issue the engineer can always sign it of to say that the system was checked and functional.
Plus you never have the history of a recurring defect or something in that system a bit deeper that might be causing issues because there is no history.
Big fleet operators will always beat into you to enter defects.
Its in no bodies interest to be flying around in a sub par aircraft.