Narrative:

We taxied out of the gate at XA17L. About a 25 min taxi to the runway. We were cleared on the runway to hold. As we rounded corner, tower cleared us for takeoff. I turned the aircraft over to the first officer and looked outside. I assumed the power was coming up. At that point the warning chime started to go off and we got a 'hot brake' ECAM message. One brake was 300 degrees. The limit is 'maximum temperature for takeoff 300 degrees. The ECAM message was 'delay gear retraction if practical. Maximum speed 280 KIAS.' I did not want to abort for one brake temperature, scare the passenger and cause the problems associated with an abort. I elected to continue and leave the gear down until it cooled which we did. Maximum temperature reached on that one brake was about 315 degrees. At 285 degrees we raised the gear. I checked the ECAM several times and the temperatures continued to come down after level off. The first officer and I discussed the incident and he said the power was not actually coming up but we were both in the takeoff mode mentally and rolling. This is not to say we would not have aborted for an abort item but 300 degrees on one brake is not it. I later questioned the ramifications of an abort at 100 KTS with 305 degrees or so.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CREW RECEIVED ONE HOT BRAKE ECAM INDICATION AT TKOF INITIATION. THE CREW CONTINUED THE TKOF.

Narrative: WE TAXIED OUT OF THE GATE AT XA17L. ABOUT A 25 MIN TAXI TO THE RWY. WE WERE CLRED ON THE RWY TO HOLD. AS WE ROUNDED CORNER, TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. I TURNED THE ACFT OVER TO THE FO AND LOOKED OUTSIDE. I ASSUMED THE PWR WAS COMING UP. AT THAT POINT THE WARNING CHIME STARTED TO GO OFF AND WE GOT A 'HOT BRAKE' ECAM MESSAGE. ONE BRAKE WAS 300 DEGS. THE LIMIT IS 'MAX TEMP FOR TKOF 300 DEGS. THE ECAM MESSAGE WAS 'DELAY GEAR RETRACTION IF PRACTICAL. MAX SPD 280 KIAS.' I DID NOT WANT TO ABORT FOR ONE BRAKE TEMP, SCARE THE PAX AND CAUSE THE PROBS ASSOCIATED WITH AN ABORT. I ELECTED TO CONTINUE AND LEAVE THE GEAR DOWN UNTIL IT COOLED WHICH WE DID. MAX TEMP REACHED ON THAT ONE BRAKE WAS ABOUT 315 DEGS. AT 285 DEGS WE RAISED THE GEAR. I CHKED THE ECAM SEVERAL TIMES AND THE TEMPS CONTINUED TO COME DOWN AFTER LEVEL OFF. THE FO AND I DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT AND HE SAID THE PWR WAS NOT ACTUALLY COMING UP BUT WE WERE BOTH IN THE TKOF MODE MENTALLY AND ROLLING. THIS IS NOT TO SAY WE WOULD NOT HAVE ABORTED FOR AN ABORT ITEM BUT 300 DEGS ON ONE BRAKE IS NOT IT. I LATER QUESTIONED THE RAMIFICATIONS OF AN ABORT AT 100 KTS WITH 305 DEGS OR SO.

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.