Here's One,
GET IT IN WRITING! Anytime anyone is suggesting you do something which seems a little off to you, get them to put it in writing. If they are trying to get you to do something wrong, just that suggestion will often stop their advance (scheduling duty times for example). I got burned on a checkride once because I was taught for five days in the sim what the "NEW" procedure was going to be for a rejected landing. This was supposedly the new approved, straight out of the meeting, way the training dept. was going. Turned out, that is what half of the training dept. left that meeting with. The other half, including the company DE that gave me my ride, was still on the old page. Checkride day, that was the only item we disagreed upon, and he busted me for it. Paperwork was filled out. Next day, he had a pow-wow with another IP and the Director of training and learned about the miscommunication within the training department. I completed the one item with the DE after succesfully retraining (3 times around the field). The only thing that kind of takes the sting out of the bust is the note that I had him add to the second training form to the effect that the previous bust was due to miscommunication in training department. BUT, I NEVER SHOULD HAVE ACCEPTED THE "NEW" PROCEDURE IN THE SIM BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE IT IN WRITING in the form of a new procedure, bulletin, or whatever. I learned my lesson the hard way. Please learn from my experience before it happens to you.
ALSO, to agree with another post:
I generally try not to piss off MX, but I refuse to accept a questionable MEL item or pencil-whipped repair. If I'm not comfortable, I'm not going
I had to piss of a MX guy one time over an MEL. This was on a pitch black night (no moon) and It was over Cockpit Instrument Lighting. MX tried to say that it was just a rheostat that was MEL'd. Problem was that the rheostat was failed to the off position AND it controlled about 3/5 ths of the entire cockpit instrument panel lighting (Pilots/copilots subpanel, overhead panel, center pedastel, and circuit breaker panel lights were all out (BE-1900)). I couldn't see squawt for what switch was what (don't flame, I would still know where they are in a blindfolded check) and the MEL stated that the remaining lighting must be sufficient to illuminate affected blah, blah, blah, AND must be acceptable illumination and intensity by the flight crew.
When I called MX to inform them that I wasn't accepting the A/C in its present condition, the head of MX stormed over with an attitude. He came up to the cockpit, hit the emergency instrument light switch and said "there, you can see all the switches right?" I said, "first of all, you hit the EMERGENCY instrument light switch to illuminate those lights. I wonder what the FAA would think of you arbitrarely saying that those lights should be the planned primary method of illumination. Secondly, have you ever sat up here at night and looked for other aircraft that you have a responsibility to see and avoid, with this BRIGHT GREEN GLARE FLOODING THE COCKPIT?" He backed down immediately as he realized suddenly that should be looking at what operational impact this would have on the flight rather than purely what the MEL stated. I turned down the Aircraft and never heard another word about it. I was still a brand new Captain at the time, and its the first time that I had to actually EXECUTE some of the authority that goes with the position. In hindsight, it was a valuable experience that I have drawn from many times since. Ok. I'm done now.
