Narrative:

In ZZZ, I entered the following discrepancy into the aircraft maintenance log: gust lock amber lights remain on after gust is locked. I then contacted maintenance operational control who told me to MEL the gust lock as per MEL 27-11, which allowed for flight crew placarding. Upon review of the MEL, I was uncertain if the flight crew was allowed to perform the (M) items of the MEL. Maintenance operational control advised me that we could and went through the procedures with me. They advised that contract maintenance would only be required if the various task procedures of the MEL had to be performed. These procedures were not required to be done at this time. Our manual seems to be vague in addressing what maintenance can or cannot have the flight crew do with regards to the (M) requirements of a flight crew placardable MEL.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E135 CREW HAD THE MAINT CTLR ASK THEM TO DEFER AN ITEM THAT ONLY MAINT WAS ABLE TO DEFER.

Narrative: IN ZZZ, I ENTERED THE FOLLOWING DISCREPANCY INTO THE ACFT MAINT LOG: GUST LOCK AMBER LIGHTS REMAIN ON AFTER GUST IS LOCKED. I THEN CONTACTED MAINT OPERATIONAL CTL WHO TOLD ME TO MEL THE GUST LOCK AS PER MEL 27-11, WHICH ALLOWED FOR FLT CREW PLACARDING. UPON REVIEW OF THE MEL, I WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE FLT CREW WAS ALLOWED TO PERFORM THE (M) ITEMS OF THE MEL. MAINT OPERATIONAL CTL ADVISED ME THAT WE COULD AND WENT THROUGH THE PROCS WITH ME. THEY ADVISED THAT CONTRACT MAINT WOULD ONLY BE REQUIRED IF THE VARIOUS TASK PROCS OF THE MEL HAD TO BE PERFORMED. THESE PROCS WERE NOT REQUIRED TO BE DONE AT THIS TIME. OUR MANUAL SEEMS TO BE VAGUE IN ADDRESSING WHAT MAINT CAN OR CANNOT HAVE THE FLT CREW DO WITH REGARDS TO THE (M) REQUIREMENTS OF A FLT CREW PLACARDABLE MEL.

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.