# Process: Delete Features (6)
arcpy.DeleteFeatures_management(QA_WaterLines)
# create FieldMap objects
#
# !! bug found: if the target field exists in the source table (ie Asset_ID), but you want to map away from it (ie SomeNewID),
# !! it must be deleted from the source, if not it will override these mappings
#
# field map Jur_Flag
fldName = arcpy.Field()
fldName.name = 'Jur_Flag'
fldName.aliasName = 'Jur_Flag'
fldName.type = 'Text'
fldName.length = 3
fmJur = arcpy.FieldMap()
fmJur.outputField = fldName
fmJur.addInputField(ENG_WaterLine_tmp, 'Jur_Flag')
fmJur.addInputField(DWK_WaterLine_tmp, 'Jur_Flag')
fmJur.addInputField(DLC_WATR_PIPES_tmp, 'Jur_Flag')
fmJur.addInputField(PCH_WaterLines_tmp, 'Jur_Flag')
fmJur.addInputField(WFN_WaterLines_tmp, 'Jur_Flag')
#
# field map WaterLineType
fldName = arcpy.Field()
fldName.name = 'WaterLineType'
fldName.aliasName = 'WaterLineType'
fldName.type = 'Text'
fldName.length = 20
fmType = arcpy.FieldMap()
fmType.outputField = fldName
fmType.addInputField(ENG_WaterLine_tmp, 'WaterLineType')
fmType.addInputField(DWK_WaterLine_tmp, 'WaterLineType')
fmType.addInputField(DLC_WATR_PIPES_tmp, 'WaterLineType')
fmType.addInputField(PCH_WaterLines_tmp, 'WaterLineType')
fmType.addInputField(WFN_WaterLines_tmp, 'Type')
#
# field map Path
fldName = arcpy.Field()
fldName.name = 'Path'
fldName.aliasName = 'Path'
fldName.type = 'Text'
fldName.length = 255
fmPath = arcpy.FieldMap()
fmPath.outputField = fldName
fmPath.addInputField(DWK_WaterLine_tmp, 'Path')
#
# field map Asset_ID
fldName = arcpy.Field()
fldName.name = 'Asset_ID'
fldName.aliasName = 'Asset_ID'
fldName.type = 'Text'
fldName.length = 20
fmAsset_ID = arcpy.FieldMap()
fmAsset_ID.outputField = fldName
fmAsset_ID.addInputField(ENG_WaterLine_tmp, 'Asset_ID')
fmAsset_ID.addInputField(DLC_WATR_PIPES_tmp, 'Asset_ID')
fmAsset_ID.addInputField(PCH_WaterLines_tmp, 'Asset_ID')
fmAsset_ID.addInputField(WFN_WaterLines_tmp, 'AssetID')
#
# field map RDCO_LinkID
fldName = arcpy.Field()
fldName.name = 'RDCO_LinkID'
fldName.aliasName = 'RDCO_LinkID'
fldName.type = 'Text'
fldName.length = 50
fmRDCO_LinkID = arcpy.FieldMap()
fmRDCO_LinkID.outputField = fldName
fmRDCO_LinkID.addInputField(ENG_WaterLine_tmp, 'RDCO_LinkID')
fmRDCO_LinkID.addInputField(DLC_WATR_PIPES_tmp, 'RDCO_LinkID')
fmRDCO_LinkID.addInputField(PCH_WaterLines_tmp, 'RDCO_LinkID')
fmRDCO_LinkID.addInputField(WFN_WaterLines_tmp, 'RDCO_LinkID')
# add field map to field mappings
fms = arcpy.FieldMappings()
fms.addFieldMap(fmJur)
fms.addFieldMap(fmType)
fms.addFieldMap(fmAsset_ID)
fms.addFieldMap(fmRDCO_LinkID)
fms.addFieldMap(fmPath)
# Process: Append (6)
arcpy.Append_management(Append_inputs, QA_WaterLines, "NO_TEST", fms)
so, for example, in the second field map, the last input I wanted to go away from 'WaterLineType' but had to delete that field to force it go to 'Type'
Thanks