CAPT OF AN LTT ACR ACFT REFUSED A FERRY FLT BASED ON FATIGUE RESULTING IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION BY THE COMPANY.

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AFTER A 9 HR READY RESERVE SHIFT (BEGAN XA00 PM); MY FO AND I RELEASED TO TAXI TO THE HANGAR THEN UPON ARR TO THE HANGAR (XB00 PM) WERE ASKED TO STICK AROUND FOR ANOTHER HR FOR A POSSIBLE FERRY FLT. AT XCPM LCL MY DISPATCH REQUESTED I TAKE THE AIRPLANE AND A MECH WITH A SPECIAL TOOL BIT TO FLL FROM MCO. BECAUSE OF FLT PREPARATION I KNEW A DEP COULD NOT TAKE PLACE FOR ANOTHER 45 MINS TO AN HR. DISPATCH WANTED US TO FLY DOWN TO FLL AND WAIT FOR A PROP HUB INSPECTION OF ANOTHER ACFT IN FLL TO BE COMPLETED; THEN FLY BACK TO MCO. AT THE PRESENT MOMENT (XA00 PM) MY EYES WERE PUFFY AND BLOODSHOT AND I WAS CONTINUALLY HAVING TO RUB THEM. I; TO MYSELF WAS OBVIOUSLY FATIGUED. I ASKED MY FO HOW HE FELT PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY. HE EXPLAINED HE WAS TIRED AND NOT UP TO THE FLT. I INFORMED HIM I FELT THE SAME WAY AND DECIDED IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY THAT THE FLT WOULD NOT TAKE PLACE. BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACFT IN FLL IN DISREPAIR MY JUDGEMENT IN THE RISK OF SAFETY OUTWEIGHED THE NECESSITY OF AN ON-TIME DEP OF THE ACFT IN FLL. I WAS LATER REPRIMANDED BY MY CHIEF PLT AND MY COMPANY. MY CHIEF PLT INFORMED ME OF HIS DISAPPROVAL OF THIS KIND OF DECISION MAKING AND I RECEIVED AN UNAVAILABLE FOR DUTY LETTER IN MY FILE AND A DOC IN PAY. I BELIEVE INCIDENTS SUCH AS THESE ARE A CONCERN IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY. IF A CAPT IS INTIMIDATED AND PUNISHED FOR MAKING DECISIONS IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY HE WILL OBVIOUSLY BE EASILY COERCED TO MAKE THE WRONG DECISIONS IN MANY SITS.