A BE1900 PLT FLEW AN ACFT WITH A BADLY CRACKED WINDSCREEN.

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WE REMOVED THE ACFT FROM THE HEATED HANGAR FOR A RUNUP AND SYS CHK. AFTER COMPLETING THE RUNUP; I WAS TAXIING TO THE GATE AND THE R FO'S OUTER WINDOW CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES. I WROTE THE DISCREPANCY IN THE LOG AND CALLED OUR DISPATCH OFFICE. THEY CALLED MAINT AND HE TOLD ME THAT A MECH WOULD INSPECT THE CRACK AND APPROVE FOR RETURN TO SVC PER BEECHCRAFT SVC MANUAL. I COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING IN THE MEL REGARDING A CRACKED WINDSHIELD BUT MAINT ASSURED ME IT WAS APPROVED PER THE SVC MANUAL. OUR MECH IN RUT INSPECTED THE CRACK; AND APPROVED FOR RETURN TO SVC PER THE MAINT MANUAL AS LONG AS THE ACFT WAS OPERATED UNPRESSURIZED. WE OPERATED 2 FLTS WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER TALKING TO OTHER PLTS AT OUR HOME BASE; I FEEL THE ACFT IS NOT APPROVED FOR SCHEDULED FLTS IF IT CANNOT BE MEL'ED. I BELIEVE THE MAINT DEPT AND DISPATCH WERE IN THE WRONG FOR MAKING US FLY THE ACFT IN ITS CONDITION. WHEN SOME OTHER PLTS REFUSED TO FLY THE ACFT WITH THE WINDSHIELD BROKEN; THEY WERE THREATENED TO BE FIRED UNLESS THEY FLEW IT. I FEEL PLTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME BACKING BY THE FAA WHEN WE ARE PRESSURED TO FLY ACFT WE FEEL ARE UNSAFE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE BEECHCRAFT 1900 IN SCHEDULED SVC. THE MEL IS CARRIED IN THE ACFT AS PART OF THE ACFT'S LIBRARY. THE RPTR HAS RECENTLY MOVED AND HAS NOT TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK FURTHER INTO THE MEL TO ASCERTAIN UNDER WHICH CONDITIONS THE ACFT CAN BE FLOWN WITH A CRACKED WINDSCREEN. THE WINDSCREEN WAS CRACKED VERTLY IN '3 OR 4 PLACES; CLR ACROSS.' THE RPTR IS NOW AWARE OF THE FAA AVIATION SAFETY HOTLINE.