Narrative:

Air carrier Y airlines installs a 'polar survival' kit in the control cabin of aircraft rted on polar rtes. No maintenance manual, ipc or maintenance operations procedures references this kit. Controllers at air carrier X insist this is a 'non maintenance' issue, therefore, no action is required to address log gripes. Air carrier X maintenance operations procedures 2-0-1-3 directs maintenance to 'carry forward' non maintenance items (item 3.B). Equipment installed on air carrier X aircraft needs a reference for the amt to comply with far's. My concern is that if we don't comply with procedures when addressing non safety of flight issues, we are tempted to take verbal authority/authorized on safety issues.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747-400 TECHNICIAN RPTS CONFUSION ON NON MAINT LOGBOOK WRITE-UPS AS MAINT OPS PROCS MANUAL JUST STATES TO CARRY THE ITEM FORWARD BUT GIVES NO TERMINATING ACTION.

Narrative: ACR Y AIRLINES INSTALLS A 'POLAR SURVIVAL' KIT IN THE CTL CABIN OF ACFT RTED ON POLAR RTES. NO MAINT MANUAL, IPC OR MAINT OPS PROCS REFS THIS KIT. CTLRS AT ACR X INSIST THIS IS A 'NON MAINT' ISSUE, THEREFORE, NO ACTION IS REQUIRED TO ADDRESS LOG GRIPES. ACR X MAINT OPS PROCS 2-0-1-3 DIRECTS MAINT TO 'CARRY FORWARD' NON MAINT ITEMS (ITEM 3.B). EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON ACR X ACFT NEEDS A REF FOR THE AMT TO COMPLY WITH FAR'S. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF WE DON'T COMPLY WITH PROCS WHEN ADDRESSING NON SAFETY OF FLT ISSUES, WE ARE TEMPTED TO TAKE VERBAL AUTH ON SAFETY ISSUES.

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.