SMA CARGO PLT RETURNS TO DEP ARPT WHEN LOSING HIS VACUUM SYS TO HIS INSTS. HIS VACUUM PUMP HAD FAILED. HE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO USE THE STANDBY SYS. WHILE AWAITING WX IMPROVEMENT ON THE GND; HIS SUPVR THREATENED HIM AND PUSHED ON HIM TO GO 'DELIVER THE CARGO;' REGARDLESS OF THE WX. PLT LATER FLEW WITH THE STANDBY SYS AND THEN RESIGNED.

Narrative

AFTER DEPARTING TIFTON; GA; PM20; ON CLB TO 4000 FT WITH VALDOSA APCH; I DISCOVERED THAT MY VACUUM PUMP HAD FAILED. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A STANDBY SYS THAT I HAD RECEIVED NO TRAINING IN ITS USE. I TURNED THE STANDBY SYS ON. IT SHOWED NO SIGNS OF WORKING. I ALERTED APCH AND KNOWING THAT THE WX AHEAD IN MCN WAS IFR WITH TSTMS/RAIN; I ELECTED TO TURN BACK TO TIFTON. I HAD TO SHOOT AN APCH AS IT HAD TURNED IFR WHEN I GOT BACK. ON LNDG I CALLED THE COMPANY CHIEF PLT AND TOLD HIM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE PROCEEDED TO CHASTISE ME FOR NOT HAVING CONTINUED TO MCN AND DELIVERING THE CARGO; AND INSTRUCTED ME TO GET BACK IN THE ACFT AND CONTINUE TO MCN. I TOLD HIM THAT THE FIELD WAS IFR; AND ALSO THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE STANDBY SYS -- HE WAS NOT INTERESTED. DESPITE CONTINUED PRESSURE FROM THE CHIEF PLT; HE CONTINUED TO PHONE THE ARPT TO TELL ME THAT HE WAS WATCHING THE WX CHANNEL AND THAT THE WX LOOKED OK WHERE I WAS; DESPITE THE FACT THAT MYSELF AND 4 OTHER PLTS WERE LOOKING AT IFR CONDITIONS ON THE FIELD (APPROX 200 FT OVCST; HVY RAIN). FINALLY; AFTER WAITING FOR APPROX 1 1/2 HRS; THE FIELD WENT VFR; AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGEMENT; OUT OF A SENSE OF LOYALTY TO MY EMPLOYER -- NOT TO MENTION THE PRESSURE FROM MY CHIEF PLT -- I TOOK OFF AND COMPLETED MY TASK OF DELIVERING TO MCN AND ATL. (I HAD TO GET INSTRUCTION ON THE USE OF THE STANDBY VACUUM SYS FROM ANOTHER PLT AT TIFTON.) AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT; I SUBMITTED MY RESIGNATION; ALTHOUGH I FEEL THAT MY TENURE WAS DRAWING TO A CLOSE DUE TO THIS INCIDENT ANYWAY. I FILED THIS RPT BECAUSE I FEEL SO STRONGLY ABOUT THE POSITION I WAS FACED WITH DUE TO THE LACK OF SUPPORT AND UNREASONABLE DEMANDS OF THE CHIEF PLT. I WAS FACED WITH THE OPTIONS OF EITHER WALKING OFF THE JOB AND LEAVING THE ACFT MILES AWAY (WHICH AS A PROFESSIONAL PLT DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT); OR KNOWINGLY FLYING A DEFECTIVE ACFT IN MARGINAL WX -- NEITHER CHOICE APPEALS. I TRIED TO DO THE RIGHT THING -- I WAITED TILL THE WX IMPROVED AND I COMPLETED MY MISSION AND DELIVERED THE ACFT BACK TO ITS HOME BASE. I JUST HOPE THAT IF THIS HAPPENS TO ANY OTHER PLTS AT THIS COMPANY THEY WILL HAVE THE GOOD JUDGEMENT ENOUGH NOT TO SUCCUMB TO THIS KIND OF PRESSURE AND GET HURT.