FLC OF AN LTT ACFT OPERATED THE ACFT WHEN IT DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE ACFT MEL PROVISIONS.

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I RECEIVED ACFT (EMB-120) FROM THE PREVIOUS CREW WITH A WRITE-UP IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK FOR A FAULTY HYD PRESSURE GAUGE. MAINT RETURNED THE LOGBOOK TO THE ACFT WITH THE PRESSURE GAUGE DEFERRED PER THE MEL. THEY SIGNED OFF THE AIRWORTHINESS SIGN-OFF AND TOLD ME I COULD TAKE THE ACFT TO FWA BUT THAT A MECH WOULD HAVE TO RIDE ALONG TO VISUALLY CHK THE FLUID LEVEL AFTER EACH LEG. THE MECH BOARDED THE ACFT AND CHKED THE FLUID AFTER EACH OF THE 4 LEGS. THE HYD QUANTITY INDICATOR ON THE SAME SYS HAD BEEN DEFERRED EARLIER THE SAME DAY. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT DAY AFTER COMPLETING BOTH ROUND TRIPS THAT THE MEL DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THE QUANTITY AND PRESSURE GAUGES TO BE DEFERRED AT THE SAME TIME. EVIDENTLY THE MAINT PERSONNEL DID NOT READ THE MEL CAREFULLY OR THEY KNEW AND SIGNED THE AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE ANYWAY! IN THE FUTURE I WILL WATCH THEIR WORK MORE CAREFULLY. THESE FOLKS CANNOT BE TRUSTED AS I AM TOLD BY OUR CHIEF PLT! ULTIMATELY; THE PIC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING; HOWEVER IN AN ENVIRONMENT AS COMPLICATED AS THIS WE MUST BE ABLE TO TRUST OUR FELLOW CO-WORKERS TO DO THEIR JOBS ACCORDING TO THE REGS!