B767-300 and 300 ER
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure; Aircraft; Human Factors; MEL; Manuals
After reviewing the maintenance history and log I noticed the Captains VOR head had been written up at least 8 times in the last 10 days. The auto/manual function was switching out at altitude. The deferral 34-XX-XX-XX-XX/XY for the Captains EFIS control panel; map and plan modes was in the correction action column for the most recent write up.Reviewing the DDG (Dispatch Deviations Guide) the Captains VOR head is not a deferral item for its part of the standby system. Why the EFIS control panel was being deferred was puzzling and required further explanation. After a couple of phone calls maintenance explained that deferring the EFIS control panel stop the head switching back and forth because it was in manual all the time. This is not a fix just a way to move the airplane. We were told that repairs were to be made in ZZZ now that Maintenance had a clearer understanding of the problem.Flying the plane in VOR mode on the Captains side eliminates all way points and course to be flown out of view. Not a desirable situation. Looking across to the First Officer side is not reliable way to operate for extended periods of time. The DDG is a [priority] and it should have been addressed. However the deferral continues to be extended. The operations requirements for this DDG needs to reviewed. In the current climate of RNAV flying redundancy is key. As an example; I would not accept this condition on an ETOPS flight.
B767 Captain reported that company was using MEL to move aircraft instead of repairing it after noticing that the VOR head had been written up 8 times in the last 10 days.