Narrative:

Captain requested a change in air carts. Both carts were checked by automotive and found to be working properly. On the first start attempt on the left engine, the air cart delivered 22 psi. The DC9 operating manual starting section page 13 has a caution, which states 'if starting pressure is below 25 psi, be alert for a hot or hung start.' on the same page in bold typeface it states the fuel lever goes to on 'at maximum motoring 20' N2 minimum, with approximately 5' N1, and egt at or below 100 C. With 22 psi, we had a maximum motoring of 17 'N2 and 4' N1. This was clearly below the limits set forth in the operating manual and was unacceptable. I reported this to the ground crew, who initially stated they had no other cart available. I said the cart's performance was not enough to start the engine. While they looked for another cart an air carrier mechanic spoke to me through my window. I explained that the cart only gave me 17 'N2 and 4' N1. The mechanic's response was not in accordance with the standards outlined in the operating manual, he said 'captain -- just be brave and add fuel anyway.' I explained to him that such actions were not prudent, and that the possibility of torching a 2 million dollar engine did not appeal to me. He did not respond to that. Another cart was found and hooked up to the aircraft. We ascertained from maintenance how long we had to let the left engine situation after the first start attempt to regain the full 90 second starter duty limit. While waiting for that time to expire, the new cart was hooked up, and we started the right engine with it. It gave 24 psi, and turned the right engine at slightly over 19 N2 and 7 N1. We started the right engine fine, it just took about 70 seconds to do so. We augmented the air cart with running up the right engine and started the left engine. The automotive check may show the first start cart is fine, but in actual operation, the first cart did not provide the N1 and N2 revolutions called for in the operating manual for starting the left engine. Air carrier maintenance is charging me with an average of 1 delay per 3-DAY trip. In every instance, I have filed a report showing I am in complete compliance with far's and air carrier standard operating procedures. Maintenance has yet to rebut me and show that I am requiring more than the operating manual requires.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CAPT RPTS BEING PRESSURED TO ACCEPT SUBSTANDARD AIR CARTS FOR STARTING ENGS THAT DO NOT MEET FLT OPERATING MANUAL LIMITS.

Narrative: CAPT REQUESTED A CHANGE IN AIR CARTS. BOTH CARTS WERE CHKED BY AUTOMOTIVE AND FOUND TO BE WORKING PROPERLY. ON THE FIRST START ATTEMPT ON THE L ENG, THE AIR CART DELIVERED 22 PSI. THE DC9 OPERATING MANUAL STARTING SECTION PAGE 13 HAS A CAUTION, WHICH STATES 'IF STARTING PRESSURE IS BELOW 25 PSI, BE ALERT FOR A HOT OR HUNG START.' ON THE SAME PAGE IN BOLD TYPEFACE IT STATES THE FUEL LEVER GOES TO ON 'AT MAX MOTORING 20' N2 MINIMUM, WITH APPROX 5' N1, AND EGT AT OR BELOW 100 C. WITH 22 PSI, WE HAD A MAX MOTORING OF 17 'N2 AND 4' N1. THIS WAS CLRLY BELOW THE LIMITS SET FORTH IN THE OPERATING MANUAL AND WAS UNACCEPTABLE. I RPTED THIS TO THE GND CREW, WHO INITIALLY STATED THEY HAD NO OTHER CART AVAILABLE. I SAID THE CART'S PERFORMANCE WAS NOT ENOUGH TO START THE ENG. WHILE THEY LOOKED FOR ANOTHER CART AN ACR MECH SPOKE TO ME THROUGH MY WINDOW. I EXPLAINED THAT THE CART ONLY GAVE ME 17 'N2 AND 4' N1. THE MECH'S RESPONSE WAS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STANDARDS OUTLINED IN THE OPERATING MANUAL, HE SAID 'CAPT -- JUST BE BRAVE AND ADD FUEL ANYWAY.' I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT SUCH ACTIONS WERE NOT PRUDENT, AND THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF TORCHING A 2 MILLION DOLLAR ENG DID NOT APPEAL TO ME. HE DID NOT RESPOND TO THAT. ANOTHER CART WAS FOUND AND HOOKED UP TO THE ACFT. WE ASCERTAINED FROM MAINT HOW LONG WE HAD TO LET THE L ENG SIT AFTER THE FIRST START ATTEMPT TO REGAIN THE FULL 90 SECOND STARTER DUTY LIMIT. WHILE WAITING FOR THAT TIME TO EXPIRE, THE NEW CART WAS HOOKED UP, AND WE STARTED THE R ENG WITH IT. IT GAVE 24 PSI, AND TURNED THE R ENG AT SLIGHTLY OVER 19 N2 AND 7 N1. WE STARTED THE R ENG FINE, IT JUST TOOK ABOUT 70 SECONDS TO DO SO. WE AUGMENTED THE AIR CART WITH RUNNING UP THE R ENG AND STARTED THE L ENG. THE AUTOMOTIVE CHK MAY SHOW THE FIRST START CART IS FINE, BUT IN ACTUAL OP, THE FIRST CART DID NOT PROVIDE THE N1 AND N2 REVOLUTIONS CALLED FOR IN THE OPERATING MANUAL FOR STARTING THE L ENG. ACR MAINT IS CHARGING ME WITH AN AVERAGE OF 1 DELAY PER 3-DAY TRIP. IN EVERY INSTANCE, I HAVE FILED A RPT SHOWING I AM IN COMPLETE COMPLIANCE WITH FAR'S AND ACR STANDARD OPERATING PROCS. MAINT HAS YET TO REBUT ME AND SHOW THAT I AM REQUIRING MORE THAN THE OPERATING MANUAL REQUIRES.

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.