Narrative:

During taxi out the captain pulled up the system page on his lower screen even though there was no blue 'status' prompt on the EICAS screen and there is no requirement to do so in the flight manual (status prompt is inhibited for 30 minutes after engine start). There were two status messages listed that were not present during pre-flight before engine start. Engine ovspd prot system left and engine eec C1 left.this prompted a discussion regarding what was now required to be legal for takeoff. Though we addressed the problem through maintenance control/dispatch and; on my insistence; returned to the gate for maintenance action; two larger issues became apparent.first; there is no guidance in the flight manual (FM) or the fom as to what is required if a status message is discovered after engine start and prior to throttle-up for takeoff. The FM preflight normals require the first officer to check the status display: 'if any status message is displayed; refer to the MEL; and contact maintenance as necessary to resolve the issue'. The MEL; page 8; states; 'any message that affects airplane dispatch will be displayed at a status message level or higher. The absence of an EICAS status or higher level (warning; caution; advisory) indicates that the system/component is operating within its approved operating limits or tolerances. System conditions that result only in a maintenance level message; i.e. No correlation with a higher level EICAS message; do not affect dispatch and do not require action other than addressed within [the] maintenance program...' both of our status messages would have produced and EICAS status prompt were it not for the 30 minute inhibit after engine start. The old [company] policy was that we don't want to know about status messages prior to the point-of-dispatch because they would have to be addressed by maintenance (this is the reason for the 30 minute inhibit in the first place). So; what to do if a status message is discovered even though there was no EICAS status prompt; but someone looked at the system page? (Engine ovspd prot system left is a no-go item; even as a status message).the second issue relates to the definition of 'point-of-dispatch.' there no longer exits a definition of point-of-dispatch in the fom; flight manual; or wom (how does this mesh with ETOPS/MEL requirements?). Through my discussions with the fleet technical advisor and my own unscientific poll; we as a fleet are operating under two differing definitions of the point-of-dispatch. [Company] pilots all seem agree that the point-of-dispatch is throttle-up for takeoff on the runway; while [other] pilots believe it's when the aircraft first moves off the gate by the tug crew. This leaves a very grey area as to what to do if you do discover a status message after engine start but prior to the takeoff roll or for that matter; what if an ETOPS alternate goes down after start but prior to takeoff? Do we resolve it in the air or did we just experience an illegal dispatch?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air carrier First Officer reported requesting the definition of point of dispatch; as it affects maintenance and alternate issues.

Narrative: During taxi out the Captain pulled up the System page on his lower screen even though there was no blue 'STATUS' prompt on the EICAS screen and there is no requirement to do so in the flight manual (STATUS prompt is inhibited for 30 minutes after engine start). There were two status messages listed that were not present during pre-flight before engine start. ENG OVSPD PROT SYS L and ENG EEC C1 L.This prompted a discussion regarding what was now required to be legal for takeoff. Though we addressed the problem through Maintenance Control/Dispatch and; on my insistence; returned to the gate for maintenance action; two larger issues became apparent.First; there is no guidance in the Flight Manual (FM) or the FOM as to what is required if a STATUS message is discovered after engine start and prior to throttle-up for takeoff. The FM preflight Normals require the First Officer to check the Status display: 'if any status message is displayed; refer to the MEL; and contact Maintenance as necessary to resolve the issue'. The MEL; page 8; states; 'Any message that affects airplane dispatch will be displayed at a STATUS message level or higher. The absence of an EICAS STATUS or higher level (WARNING; CAUTION; ADVISORY) indicates that the system/component is operating within its approved operating limits or tolerances. System conditions that result only in a maintenance level message; i.e. no correlation with a higher level EICAS message; do not affect dispatch and do not require action other than addressed within [the] maintenance program...' Both of our STATUS messages would have produced and EICAS STATUS prompt were it not for the 30 minute inhibit after engine start. The old [company] policy was that we don't want to know about STATUS messages prior to the point-of-dispatch because they would have to be addressed by maintenance (this is the reason for the 30 minute inhibit in the first place). So; what to do if a STATUS message is discovered even though there was no EICAS STATUS prompt; but someone looked at the SYS page? (ENG OVSPD PROT SYS L is a No-Go item; even as a status message).The second issue relates to the definition of 'point-of-Dispatch.' There no longer exits a definition of point-of-dispatch in the FOM; Flight Manual; or WOM (how does this mesh with ETOPS/MEL requirements?). Through my discussions with the Fleet Technical Advisor and my own unscientific poll; we as a fleet are operating under two differing definitions of the point-of-Dispatch. [Company] pilots all seem agree that the point-of-Dispatch is throttle-up for takeoff on the runway; while [other] pilots believe it's when the aircraft first moves off the gate by the tug crew. This leaves a very grey area as to what to do if you do discover a status message after engine start but prior to the takeoff roll or for that matter; what if an ETOPS alternate goes down after start but prior to takeoff? Do we resolve it in the air or did we just experience an illegal dispatch?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.