Medium Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Manuals; Aircraft
As we were boarding; a FAA ramp inspector told me he thought the brake wear pin indicators were indicating low on the left inboard side. I called [Company Maintenance] and they ran the brake wear indicator test. The rear pin emerged when pressure was applied to the system but the front pin remained slightly recessed. The FAA ramp inspector and the lead mechanic were in disagreement over if both pins had to emerge under pressure or just one. I told them to try to figure it out as passengers had now been on board for over an hour. After more discussion with the FAA inspector the lead mechanic returned saying one pin emerging was airworthy and returned our logbook. We pilots are specifically told not to look at the gear pins so I took my lead mechanic's word and we attempted to leave. After a subsequent ATC flow delay it was 2 hours and 5 minutes with passengers on board from boarding start to takeoff. Apparently some verbiage in the maintenance manuals needs to be clarified.
Air carrier Captain reported that a Maintenance Technician and an FAA inspector were not in agreement if a brake was within wear limits.