Date: 201705
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: B737 Next Generation Undifferentiated
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Aircraft component: Weather Radar
Component problem: Failed
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Aircraft In Service At Gate
Result: General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Aircraft; MEL
Primary problem: MEL

Narrative: We originated the aircraft in ZZZ with the weather radar on MEL from the previous day. I discussed with Dispatch prior to flight in ZZZ that I had concerns about the WX radar being inoperative on the next flight out of ZZZ to ZZZ1. WX in ZZZ1 was about the only WX on the East Coast. I wanted to have the radar fixed or another option ready so not to delay the next flight. The Dispatcher said he would inform the next Dispatcher and Maintenance Control in ZZZ. Upon taxiing into ZZZ I had my FO inform Operations that we needed maintenance on the WX radar to perform the next flight. I also informed the Agent. Line Maintenance came out and looked at the radar. The two Mechanics were great. I talked to Dispatch and expressed my concerns about the weather to the north and touching ZZZ1. (Without radar; inside of clouds; a Pilot is essentially blind to storms.) There were several layers of clouds in ZZZ1. ZZZ1 does not report ATIS. They only have METAR. Therefore real time storm information is limited to Pilots enroute due to METAR only reporting. I did not feel comfortable on a 2.3 hour flight when the weather can change and with confirmed reports of high winds of 30-plus knot gusts. ZZZ1 has short runways and it was necessary to use 5000 foot runway due to wind direction. I expressed my concerns and reasoning to the Chief Pilot on Call in ZZZ. He said he would back me up 100 percent on my decision. The Agent overheard my conversation with Dispatch that we wanted the radar fixed or a new aircraft. In the interests of Safety; we concluded with Dispatch and Chief Pilot on Call; (ZZZ Chief Pilot got involved at the gate and he concurred with my decision) that we should wait for a new aircraft. As I disembarked from the plane the new radar cockpit control panel needed to fix the radar arrived. The Mechanics fixed it in about five minutes. The FO heard from the Mechanic that he was informed NOT TO FIX THE RADAR; just keep it on MEL and fix it later in ZZZ later that night. My job is to break the chain of events that could lead to Safety issues. I put Safety first. The delay was one hour and seven minutes in a Maintenance base who had the part. Why wasn't this part ready to replace in ZZZ? We knew we needed maintenance several hours prior in ZZZ. The bite check told the Mechanics that the panel needed to be replaced. We have good Maintenance in ZZZ. Why would we put pressure on a Crew to fly into weather without radar? Why would the part needed to fix the radar only appear when the Crew got off the aircraft? I have a concern that the desire not to have a delay code placed with Maintenance is clouding the judgment of individuals. In my opinion; the default for Maintenance should be: 'When in Doubt; trust the judgment of the Crew and Fix the Plane'. Stop kicking the can down the road. Safety always comes before delay codes. This should never have gotten to the point where the Crew was departing the aircraft to get something fixed. We as a Crew were proactive and the delay still occurred. I believe we can be better than this. I have pictures of the actual weather near ZZZ1 and the weather radar on the iPad.




Synopsis: B737 Captain reported concerns about the weather radar not operating.