AN ACR PLT'S COMMENTS ON SAFETY ISSUES AT HIS COMPANY RELATING TO GEAR INSPECTION PORT CLEANING AND MINIMUM ARR FUEL PLANNING POLICIES.

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WHEN WE FIRST SPOKE OF PROPER MAINT OF THE MAIN LNDG GEAR VIEWING MIRRORS/PORTAL AND THE NOSE GEAR VIEWING PORT; THE FAA INSPECTOR RECOMMENDED A WKLY CLEANING AND INSPECTION (IE; WKLY SVC CHKS) ESPECIALLY DURING WINTER MONTHS. OUR MAINT PERSONNEL RESPONDED WITH A 3 WK (TRI-WKLY) CHK CLEANING AND INSPECTION. THIS 3 WK CLEANING AND INSPECTION PROGRAM IS JUST NOT WORKING OR WORKABLE. WE NEED THE 1 WK SVC CHK PROGRAM TO OPERATE SAFELY AS THE FAA INSPECTOR ASKED FOR AND WAS NOT GIVEN. THIS IS A NO COST SAFETY PROGRAM TO THE COMPANY THAT WOULD PREVENT POSSIBLE DELAYS AND POSSIBLE CREW VIOLATIONS AND PAX CONSTERNATION. WHILE WE ARE ON THE SUBJECT OF AIR SAFETY; WHY DID WE REDUCE THE MINIMUM ARR FUEL FROM 5500 LBS TO 500 LBS OF FUEL? 45 MINS AT NORMAL CRUISE SPD (PER FARS) IS MORE LIKE 4500 LBS THAN THE 300 LBS WE OFTEN SEE ON OUR FLT PLANS AND EVEN WITH THE EXTRA 25 MINS FOR FLTS LESS THAN 2 HRS WE ARE STILL LEFT WITH MINIMUM FUEL FOR ARR AND NO CONTINGENCY. IF WE ARE DELAYED FOR ARR AND THEN ARE FORCED INTO A GAR DUE TO EITHER ACFT ON THE RWY OR ABNORMAL ACFT SITS; THE MISSED APCH AND SUBSEQUENT NEXT APCH CAN USE US AS MUCH AS 1500 LBS AS PER OUR MANUAL. WE ARE RAPIDLY GOING BELOW OUR MINIMUM DECLARED FUEL REQUIREMENT DOWN TO OUR EMER DECLARED FUEL AND PUTTING OUR CREWS IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE AND UNSAFE POS WHERE THEY COULD POSSIBLY MAKE RUSHED; IRRATIONAL DECISIONS. IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY FOR THIS AIRLINE; WE SHOULD HAVE GONE UP BY 500 LBS; NOT DOWN. DON'T COMPROMISE SAFETY BY GOING SKINNY ON ARR FUEL; THAT FUEL DOESN'T EVAPORATE; IT IS THERE FOR THE NEXT FLT. A LOT MORE FUEL CAN BE SAVED BY AN AGGRESSIVE APU USAGE AND SINGLE ENG TAXI PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE SO SLOW IN IMPLEMENTING.