RPT FROM AIR CARGO CREW REGARDING UNWANTED FUEL XFER FROM THE #4 RESERVE FUEL TANK TO THE #4 MAIN FUEL TANK. RPT IMPLIES A LACK OF EFFORT ON THE PART OF THE AIRLINE MAINT POLICY PROC TO FIX THE PROB AND ASSERTS THAT CREW IS FORCED TO FLY DEFECTIVE ACFT.

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REQUIRED BY CARGO AIRLINE TO FLY ACFT NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FAR 25; FAR 121; OR FUEL SYS LIMITATION LISTED IN B747 AOM PAGE 3-01-5. ALL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ENCLOSED. TO CORRECT THIS SIT; IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE FAA MONITOR AIRLINE'S MAINT NOT PERFORMED ON A DAILY BASIS. PHYSICALLY CHKING ACFT LOGBOOKS FOR VIOLATIONS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPROVED MAINT PRACTICES. ACCEPTED ACFT IN HONG KONG. INBOUND CREW WROTE IN ACFT LOG #4 REVERSE TANK LEAKING FUEL. HKG MAINT CHKED OP XFER VALVE -- FOUND OP NORMAL; UNABLE TO FIND FUEL LEAKING INTO #4 MAIN TANK; NO EXTERNAL LEAKS. FE FUEL LOG SHOWS FUEL MIGRATION #4 RESERVE TO #4 MAIN. FLT FROM VHHH TO RJCC FE RECORDED FUEL MIGRATING FROM #4 RESERVE TANK TO #4 MAIN TANK IN VIOLATION OF ACFT LIMITATION. RESERVE TANKS MUST BE FULL AT ALL ACFT GROSS WTS ABOVE 600000 LBS INFLT. RECEIVED SAME ACFT LOG WRITE-UP IN CHITOSE WHICH ONLY CHKS THE XFER VALVE WHICH DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROB. 600 LBS OF FUEL MIGRATED FROM RESERVE #4 TO #4 MAIN TANK IN 9 HRS WHILE ACFT WAS PARKED ON GND; YET THIS SIGNOFF SAID FUEL WAS NOT LEAKING AND THE CREW WAS REQUIRED TO FLY FROM RJCC TO PANC WITH THE SAME PROB. IN THE FREIGHT BUSINESS; CREWS FLY 30-35 YR OLD ACFT THAT ARE NOT MAINTAINED PROPERLY. WE RELY ON THE FAA TO ENFORCE REQUIRED MAINT TO FAA STANDARDS. THIS SAFETY ISSUE NOT ONLY AFFECTS US BUT ALL WHO FLY IN THE SAME SKY. PLEASE ENCOURAGE THE FAA TO PERFORM CONTINUOUS RAMP CHKS. I GLADLY AWAIT THEIR FIRST ARR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE PIC STATED THAT THE AIRLINE HAS MISREPRESENTED THEIR ACFT'S CONDITIONS MANY TIMES; USUALLY BECAUSE THEY EITHER DON'T UNDERSTAND THE SYS OR THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE REGS. THE PIC HAS TALKED; IN GENERAL TERMS; WITH THE POI OF THE AIRLINE AND THE LCL FSDO OFFICE. THEY BOTH FELT THAT THE SIT WAS NOT GOOD AND ADVISED THE CAPT THAT IF HE WERE TO RPT THE COMPANY'S ACTIONS TO THEM THAT HE ALSO WOULD BE DRAWN INTO THE INVESTIGATION. THE POI APPEARED TO BE TRYING TO MAKE THE AIRLINE 'TOE THE LINE' BUT ONLY ON THE ISSUES THAT THEY FOUND; THEY DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE TOO EAGER TO 'DIG UP A NEST' FROM ONE PERSON'S RPT OR ALLEGATIONS. RPTR WAS ADVISED OF THE FAA HOT LINE AND HE MAY USE IT YET BUT WILL WAIT UNTIL RETIREMENT; WHICH IS NOT TOO FAR AWAY. THE ACFT WAS FINALLY WORKED ON IN ANC AND THE MECH FOUND THAT THE XFER VALVE BTWN THE #4 RESERVE TANK AND THE #4 MAIN TANK WAS ACTUALLY LOOSE IN ITS MOUNTING; ALLOWING THE XFER OR DRAINING OF FUEL INTO #4 MAIN.