Narrative:

Aircraft arrived from ord with the #1, #2, #3, #4, #6 tires all deferred under a write-up: tire #1 worn beyond preflight service limits, etc. Since we were going to weigh over 400000 pounds and there are only 8 tires bac there, this was a troubling group of write-ups. Additionally, the deferral code was not an MEL code, but something from a maintenance source. The relief pilot had queried contract maintenance at ZZZZ but had not received a satisfactory answer. I was on my way with logboo in hand to call technician when I encountered a contract maintenance technician who was able to explain the entry. We also inspected the tires which seemed to be O although the wear pattern was odd with outer treads more worn than the inner ones. Still, there was enough tread there and we both deemed the tires acceptable. But what of this write-up? Do we really need to dispatch aircraft to overseas with 5 of 8 tires noted as 'out of limits?' and should there be deferral write-ups in the logboo for which the crew has no documentation? And what about abbreviations: 'ps,' does that truly mean periodic service or something else? I lie to envision my primary job before tof as 'maing sure' that we are ready to fly in all respects. Troubling write-ups and poor documentation do not assist me in my job.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 HAD 5 OF 8 TIRES DEFERRED AS WORN BEYOND PS 'PREFLT SVC' LIMITS.

Narrative: ACFT ARRIVED FROM ORD WITH THE #1, #2, #3, #4, #6 TIRES ALL DEFERRED UNDER A WRITE-UP: TIRE #1 WORN BEYOND PREFLT SVC LIMITS, ETC. SINCE WE WERE GOING TO WEIGH OVER 400000 LBS AND THERE ARE ONLY 8 TIRES BAC THERE, THIS WAS A TROUBLING GROUP OF WRITE-UPS. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEFERRAL CODE WAS NOT AN MEL CODE, BUT SOMETHING FROM A MAINT SOURCE. THE RELIEF PLT HAD QUERIED CONTRACT MAINT AT ZZZZ BUT HAD NOT RECEIVED A SATISFACTORY ANSWER. I WAS ON MY WAY WITH LOGBOO IN HAND TO CALL TECHNICIAN WHEN I ENCOUNTERED A CONTRACT MAINT TECHNICIAN WHO WAS ABLE TO EXPLAIN THE ENTRY. WE ALSO INSPECTED THE TIRES WHICH SEEMED TO BE O ALTHOUGH THE WEAR PATTERN WAS ODD WITH OUTER TREADS MORE WORN THAN THE INNER ONES. STILL, THERE WAS ENOUGH TREAD THERE AND WE BOTH DEEMED THE TIRES ACCEPTABLE. BUT WHAT OF THIS WRITE-UP? DO WE REALLY NEED TO DISPATCH ACFT TO OVERSEAS WITH 5 OF 8 TIRES NOTED AS 'OUT OF LIMITS?' AND SHOULD THERE BE DEFERRAL WRITE-UPS IN THE LOGBOO FOR WHICH THE CREW HAS NO DOCUMENTATION? AND WHAT ABOUT ABBREVIATIONS: 'PS,' DOES THAT TRULY MEAN PERIODIC SVC OR SOMETHING ELSE? I LIE TO ENVISION MY PRIMARY JOB BEFORE TOF AS 'MAING SURE' THAT WE ARE READY TO FLY IN ALL RESPECTS. TROUBLING WRITE-UPS AND POOR DOCUMENTATION DO NOT ASSIST ME IN MY JOB.

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.