MEL wording. Interpretation of deviation verses inoperative.

Attributes
ACN	299661
Time
Date	199503
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	299661
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

At departure time added MEL auxiliary pitot heat system. Limitations/procedures: may be inoperative provided dispatch deviations for the following affected equipment are observed: 1) flight data recorder, 2) mach/airspeed warning system, 3) air data computer, 4) ATC transponder - altitude reporting, 5) TCASII. Note light is not required for an inoperative heater. Upon checking with ntc coordination in atl, we both took the word 'deviations' as any of the 5 items listed were inoperative, it would have to be repaired prior departure. Flight left and operated with no further problems. Flight crew arrived in atl on time. Upon arrival in atl another flight superintendent picked up this aircraft and upon further checking I/we found out that the above mentioned items are considered inoperative and the appropriate limits/corrections needed to be taken for each item. The problem is in the word deviations. Webster defines it as 'away from standard.' later on I found the 'FAA' defines it as inoperative. We are now attempting to change the wording to read 'renders the following inoperative.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEL WORDING. INTERP OF DEV VERSES INOP.

Narrative: AT DEP TIME ADDED MEL AUX PITOT HEAT SYS. LIMITATIONS/PROCS: MAY BE INOP PROVIDED DISPATCH DEVS FOR THE FOLLOWING AFFECTED EQUIP ARE OBSERVED: 1) FLT DATA RECORDER, 2) MACH/AIRSPD WARNING SYS, 3) AIR DATA COMPUTER, 4) ATC XPONDER - ALT RPTING, 5) TCASII. NOTE LIGHT IS NOT REQUIRED FOR AN INOP HEATER. UPON CHKING WITH NTC COORD IN ATL, WE BOTH TOOK THE WORD 'DEVS' AS ANY OF THE 5 ITEMS LISTED WERE INOP, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPAIRED PRIOR DEP. FLT LEFT AND OPERATED WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. FLC ARRIVED IN ATL ON TIME. UPON ARR IN ATL ANOTHER FLT SUPERINTENDENT PICKED UP THIS ACFT AND UPON FURTHER CHKING I/WE FOUND OUT THAT THE ABOVE MENTIONED ITEMS ARE CONSIDERED INOP AND THE APPROPRIATE LIMITS/CORRECTIONS NEEDED TO BE TAKEN FOR EACH ITEM. THE PROB IS IN THE WORD DEVS. WEBSTER DEFINES IT AS 'AWAY FROM STANDARD.' LATER ON I FOUND THE 'FAA' DEFINES IT AS INOP. WE ARE NOW ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE THE WORDING TO READ 'RENDERS THE FOLLOWING INOP.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.