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A captain reports that flight deck sunshields are being deferred and should not be allowed to be deferred. MEL does not address flight deck sunshields.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 722700 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200701 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 722700 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Environmental Factor Chart Or Publication Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Chart Or Publication |
| Situations | |
| Publication | Minimum Equipment List |
Narrative:
Several of our MD80's have the flight deck sunshields either missing or inoperative due to poor track mounting areas. Maintenance maintains the sunshields are a 'convenience' item and thus 'internally' MEL's them for 500 aircraft block hours. I maintain the shields are not mentioned in the MEL manual because it was the intent of the FAA (see MEL preamble) for the sunshields to not be MEL'able. Note: the sunshades in the cabin are mentioned in the MEL. Note: armrests can be a 'no-go' item on the flight deck if the crew so chooses. Yet; the flight deck sunshields are needed for safety to block the sun; especially on approach to a runway with a setting or rising sun. Think of the sun in your eyes and a cessna 152 flying VFR cuts across your path. Recently I have been told the language on the 'internal MEL' says the crew can forfeit the aircraft. The 5 or 6 times I have written the sunshields up I have not been told of this caveat in the 'internal MEL.' 1) the sunshields need to be in the MEL manual or it must be understood that if they are not in the MEL manual that they are not MEL'able. 2) internal documents that reference the flight crew need to be made readily available to the crew. 3) crews need to know about these 'internal mels.' the shades are written up frequently because crew members don't know they are 'internally MEL'ed.' this information needs to be readily available.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A CAPT RPTS THAT FLT DECK SUNSHIELDS ARE BEING DEFERRED AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE DEFERRED. MEL DOES NOT ADDRESS FLT DECK SUNSHIELDS.
Narrative: SEVERAL OF OUR MD80'S HAVE THE FLT DECK SUNSHIELDS EITHER MISSING OR INOP DUE TO POOR TRACK MOUNTING AREAS. MAINT MAINTAINS THE SUNSHIELDS ARE A 'CONVENIENCE' ITEM AND THUS 'INTERNALLY' MEL'S THEM FOR 500 ACFT BLOCK HRS. I MAINTAIN THE SHIELDS ARE NOT MENTIONED IN THE MEL MANUAL BECAUSE IT WAS THE INTENT OF THE FAA (SEE MEL PREAMBLE) FOR THE SUNSHIELDS TO NOT BE MEL'ABLE. NOTE: THE SUNSHADES IN THE CABIN ARE MENTIONED IN THE MEL. NOTE: ARMRESTS CAN BE A 'NO-GO' ITEM ON THE FLT DECK IF THE CREW SO CHOOSES. YET; THE FLT DECK SUNSHIELDS ARE NEEDED FOR SAFETY TO BLOCK THE SUN; ESPECIALLY ON APCH TO A RWY WITH A SETTING OR RISING SUN. THINK OF THE SUN IN YOUR EYES AND A CESSNA 152 FLYING VFR CUTS ACROSS YOUR PATH. RECENTLY I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE LANGUAGE ON THE 'INTERNAL MEL' SAYS THE CREW CAN FORFEIT THE ACFT. THE 5 OR 6 TIMES I HAVE WRITTEN THE SUNSHIELDS UP I HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD OF THIS CAVEAT IN THE 'INTERNAL MEL.' 1) THE SUNSHIELDS NEED TO BE IN THE MEL MANUAL OR IT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD THAT IF THEY ARE NOT IN THE MEL MANUAL THAT THEY ARE NOT MEL'ABLE. 2) INTERNAL DOCUMENTS THAT REF THE FLT CREW NEED TO BE MADE READILY AVAILABLE TO THE CREW. 3) CREWS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THESE 'INTERNAL MELS.' THE SHADES ARE WRITTEN UP FREQUENTLY BECAUSE CREW MEMBERS DON'T KNOW THEY ARE 'INTERNALLY MEL'ED.' THIS INFO NEEDS TO BE READILY AVAILABLE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.