Narrative:

Just after takeoff, we received an ACARS message from our dispatch center that our APU generator inoperative MEL required a course change to remain closer to land, then another message reported that the previous was a company policy not far. (On preflight the MEL book was reviewed as well as the latin america theater of operations manual and all information indicated no restr with properly MEL'ed APU generator inoperative.) after a very busy 6-8 mins we received, checked and accepted an alternate routing which gave us adequate fuel reserves at our destination. I fly almost exclusively to europe and I always call dispatch to get a briefing. For various reasons, I did not call today. That call may very well have keyed dispatch to that policy and things would have been much calmer. Since we are not required to call dispatch, I don't know how I could have known of company policy via my manuals. Maybe all overwater operations should carry a statement: 'real time briefing between captain and dispatch is highly recommended when extended overwater operations are planned.' by the way, thanks for your work at NASA. It really helps us line pilots!!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 FLC OF AN ACR OPERATING TO SOUTH AMERICA FINDS THAT THERE IS A COMPANY POLICY, UNKNOWN TO THE FLC, THAT REQUIRED A REROUTE WHEN THE APU GENERATOR IS INOP. AFTER CONSIDERABLE DISCUSSION IN THE AIR, A REROUTE THAT WAS CLOSER-TO-LAND WAS FILED THAT THE ONBOARD FUEL LOAD COULD LEGALLY ACCOMPLISH.

Narrative: JUST AFTER TKOF, WE RECEIVED AN ACARS MESSAGE FROM OUR DISPATCH CTR THAT OUR APU GENERATOR INOP MEL REQUIRED A COURSE CHANGE TO REMAIN CLOSER TO LAND, THEN ANOTHER MESSAGE RPTED THAT THE PREVIOUS WAS A COMPANY POLICY NOT FAR. (ON PREFLT THE MEL BOOK WAS REVIEWED AS WELL AS THE LATIN AMERICA THEATER OF OPS MANUAL AND ALL INFO INDICATED NO RESTR WITH PROPERLY MEL'ED APU GENERATOR INOP.) AFTER A VERY BUSY 6-8 MINS WE RECEIVED, CHKED AND ACCEPTED AN ALTERNATE ROUTING WHICH GAVE US ADEQUATE FUEL RESERVES AT OUR DEST. I FLY ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY TO EUROPE AND I ALWAYS CALL DISPATCH TO GET A BRIEFING. FOR VARIOUS REASONS, I DID NOT CALL TODAY. THAT CALL MAY VERY WELL HAVE KEYED DISPATCH TO THAT POLICY AND THINGS WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH CALMER. SINCE WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO CALL DISPATCH, I DON'T KNOW HOW I COULD HAVE KNOWN OF COMPANY POLICY VIA MY MANUALS. MAYBE ALL OVERWATER OPS SHOULD CARRY A STATEMENT: 'REAL TIME BRIEFING BTWN CAPT AND DISPATCH IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED WHEN EXTENDED OVERWATER OPS ARE PLANNED.' BY THE WAY, THANKS FOR YOUR WORK AT NASA. IT REALLY HELPS US LINE PLTS!!

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.