MD-83
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
FO said he called MX for a screw sticking out of a weep hole by nose gear. I look in log book and see that they just placarded the APU inop. There was no documentation that CSD levels were checked - another call to MX for that to be singed off. There was also a note that I had never seen before. I called dispatch; he patched us into the MD80 desk. They tell us that is it to keep the jet routing into major MX bases for generator reliability issues. I said MEL 49-1 states there can be no other electrical issues w/ APU inop. He said that it is just in case. There have been no issues for 7 days (8 days ago - the CSD was disconnected in flight; item fixed; and signed off) which is 2x the normal look back. I state - fine - remove the note. He said he would rather leave it in - just in case. Dispatch and I agreed that we did not want to explain to the FAA why we signed for a jet with an inop APU and a note for engine Generator reliability issues.  MD80 desk said we could take it off if we wanted; just talk Maintenance Control. Phone call - 23 minutes. Not long after we called Maintenance Control the first time; a MX supervisor came out and said he would call for someone to come out. Is this the new the standard? We call MX; then a supervisor has to come out and agree with Capt that someone has to come out? 45 minutes after first call; MX person who signed off APU came out to put the CSD level check in book. I asked him about the screw and removing the Note. He said that he could not remove the Note. That is in there for a reason. I told him that the MD80 desk said that we could remove it if we wanted. He said that he could not remove it. I said lets call Maintenance Control. After 15 minutes of back and forth with the MX supervisor standing there listening. MX looks to supervisor and says - now what. Supervisor says we are both right. The Note is like speed tape - not really an issue. I told him that I was not sure the FAA would see it that way at a hearing.  I call dispatch and tell them Maintenance Control will not remove the Note. She said just refuse the jet and we will find another one. I tell the MX supervisor - you have one last chance to remove the Note before I write in the book that I am refusing the AC for APU inop with known Left generator reliability issues. Another 5-10 minutes for the MX saying he did not know what to do and me telling them to call Maintenance Control - around and around. The agent looking at me shaking her head in disbelief. PAX sitting on the jet with marginal cooling. I got pissed - and said - 'Can we just f... call Maintenance Control!' and head to the cockpit. I should not have lost my temper - I apologize for that; but this was going nowhere. Why the supervisor didn't step in and say - lets call - I have no idea. After a total of easily 30 minutes of - me saying lets call Maintenance Control and MX saying they could not remove Note or did not know what to do; me losing my temper - I come out of the cockpit and they are on the phone to Maintenance Control. After a 3 minute call to Maintenance Control; a short entry in the log book - we are off. MX said he learned something new today - they can sign off a Note. Me; I have to try to explain to the PAX why this took so long and the returning PAX have to worry about connections.Comments... 1. The generator is either reliable or not in regards to MEL 49-1 the way I read it - 49-1 (M).'Prior to first flight with an inoperative APU; Maintenance shall check recent AML pages for operational history of engine CSDs to ensure system reliability.'AML entry - 'Per Maintenance Control; Captain is requesting removal of note item due to no repeat of generator problems (engines) in 7 days. Removed Note; Cleared MIC sheet.'2. I don't know if FAA would agree that we could fly with this Note and MEL 49-1. If I am wrong; please let me know for my mental kit bag for the future.Next time I will not argue with MX. I will call dispatch earlier and tell them what is going on and refuse the AC and put in AML - 'Capt refuses AC due to MEL 49-1 placard and Note for known engine generator reliability issues.'
MD80 Captain reported being dispatched with an inoperative APU and a Note that required the aircraft to be routed through maintenance bases due to engine driven generator problems a week prior. This note is not compatible with the APU MEL and the Captain asks that it be removed since a week has passed since the generator was repaired. This required a great many phone calls and a long delay to be accomplished.