A DC8-F WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE CAPT'S ALTIMETER REPLACED BUT THE STATIC PRESSURE CHK WAS DEFERRED FOR ACCOMPLISHMENT.

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THIS EVENT INVOLVES A DEFERRED ITEM NOT REFLECTED IN MEL (AVAILABLE TO FLC MEMBERS) BUT COVERED BY GENERAL MAINT MANUAL (AVAILABLE TO MECHS ONLY). AS SUCH; IT WAS NOT REFLECTED ON FLT RELEASE. UPON ARR AT ACFT; I DISCOVERED THAT CAPT'S ALTIMETER HAD BEEN CHANGED AT PREVIOUS OUTSTATION; AND HAD A TRACKING DEFERRAL FOR A 26000 FT PRESSURE CHK. THE DEFERRED SECTION HAD ORIGINALLY WRITTEN 'BY NEXT C-CHK.' THIS WAS CROSSED OUT AND SOMETHING INDECIPHERABLE WRITTEN IN THERE. I THOUGHT I SAW 'NEXT OVERNIGHT' IN THERE; BUT WONDERED IF IT SAID 'NEXT OVERHAUL;' PLUS IF THERE WERE ANY OPERATING RESTRS; SUCH AS FLYING BELOW FL260 ONLY; ETC. I HAD FE CALL MAINT CTL TO ASK FOR GENERAL MAINT MANUAL TO BE BROUGHT TO ACFT; PLUS CLARIFICATION ON DEFERRED SECTION. THE WORDING CONTAINED IN GENERAL MAINT MANUAL WAS 'CLRED BY NEXT STAY AT STATION WITH FACILITIES TO CONDUCT CHK.' JUST THE KIND OF LANGUAGE TO GET ME NAILED FOR TAKING THE FLT OR REFUSING TO TAKE THE FLT 'AS IS.' OUR HUB HAS FACILITIES; BUT THERE WAS ONLY A 2 HR GAP BTWN ARR AND MY SCHEDULED DEP. MY DEST HAD FACILITIES; THE PLACE WHERE ALTIMETER WAS CHANGED DID NOT. EXACTLY WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF 'STAY?' I FIGURED; WE'VE GOT AN FO'S ALTIMETER; AND A BAROMETRIC STANDBY; THE WX IS GOOD (CLR AT DEP; 7000 FT BROKEN; 10 MI VISIBILITY AT DEST AND ALTERNATE) THERE'S NO OTHER SPECIFIC RESTRS; SO I TOOK THE ACFT.