MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Workload; Communication Breakdown; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
General Maintenance Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Aircraft; Procedure; Company Policy; Chart Or Publication
This report is filed for an event that occurred in June; however; it took me some time to investigate the issue before filing the report. I started my preflight on an aircraft. During the preflight I noticed that the compass-correction card was dated DEC 06 (9.5 years old) and also showed a different registration number.I know that a compass-swing for our MD-80's is required at every 4C check; so this airplane should have had a compass correction card showing the date and registration of the date when the 4C check was performed. That compass correction card is required by FAR's and must show corrections for intervals of no more than 45 degrees; deviations of no more than 10 degrees for each cardinal heading; the DATE; REGISTRATION ;signature of the mechanic and whether the radios were on or off.This compass correction card was obviously not meeting this requirement.Maintenance signed the logbook off saying the compass correction card has no expiration date. They cited our MD-80 maintenance manual MM34-XX-XX and advisory circular AC 43-13-1B as the source.However; after obtaining the advisory circular I could not find any information in the AC that would allow us to operate with an expired compass correction card. Also; MM 34-XX-XX says specifically that a NEW compass correction card has to be filled out. It even gives the part number of the compass correction card and information on how to fill it out correctly.Unfortunately did I not have that information available to me when I was handed the logbook back to me.In this case Maintenance signed off the logbook with a bogus corrective action; as the very same manuals that they said would allow them to operate with an expired compass correction card actually are saying the exact opposite. It tells them to install a new card. I do not appreciate being lied to just so that I take the plane and push off the gate. Maintenance obviously is counting on the fact that pilots have no access to the maintenance manuals when on the flight deck and therefore have to believe that the sign-off is legit. I am deeply disappointed with the way how Maintenance handled this issue.And to make things worse; the base chief pilot walked onto my plane questioning me about the delay. He then proceeded to tell me that checking the compass correction card for expiration is not my job. He said all I have to do is see that it is 'there' but that checking validity is a maintenance action and if maintenance signed the logbook off with a service check than the plane is good to go.What? That is not the kind of support that I was expecting. Plus; I think he is wrong with his assessment.Checking the airworthiness of the airplane IS part of my job!Maintenance shall never use bogus sign offs that are either not addressing the discrepancy or use references that actually require them to do something else.
A MD-80 Captain discovered his aircraft's compass correction card was out of date and made a maintenance log entry. Maintenance cleared the discrepancy citing the MEL which said to install new compass card. Maintenance replaced the card without swinging the compass.