Narrative:

After arriving at aircraft we discovered inbound log of brakes grabbing during generator #2 shutdown. Maintenance control and line maintenance disagreed about fix. After changing bscu we departed the gate with autobrakes deferred. We sent ACARS to maintenance control after testing generator #2 as requested. After taking runway we got ACARS to clarify our CAT status from 2 separate maintenance controllers. After returning to the gate we departed with new fpf and maintenance release. Maintenance release was invalidated by maintenance control while we were at runway. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the confusion developed after local maintenance replaced the brake steering control unit (bscu) and down graded the aircraft's approach category from a CAT three to a category two. This was done to expedite the aircraft's release; otherwise the maintenance check for a category three rating would require a lengthier delay before departure. Company maintenance control wanted a confirmation of the aircraft's actual approach category status and disagreeing with local maintenance on what operations check were; or were not; required to be accomplished to maintain category three status.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS FLIGHT CREW RETURNED TO GATE AFTER TAKING RUNWAY DUE TO COMPANY MAINT CONTROL ISSUING CONFLICTING APPROACH CATEGORIES; CAT TWO AND CAT THREE. ON ACFT MAINT RELEASE AFTER BSCU CHANGED.

Narrative: AFTER ARRIVING AT ACFT WE DISCOVERED INBOUND LOG OF BRAKES GRABBING DURING GENERATOR #2 SHUTDOWN. MAINT CTL AND LINE MAINT DISAGREED ABOUT FIX. AFTER CHANGING BSCU WE DEPARTED THE GATE WITH AUTOBRAKES DEFERRED. WE SENT ACARS TO MAINT CTL AFTER TESTING GENERATOR #2 AS REQUESTED. AFTER TAKING RWY WE GOT ACARS TO CLARIFY OUR CAT STATUS FROM 2 SEPARATE MAINT CTLRS. AFTER RETURNING TO THE GATE WE DEPARTED WITH NEW FPF AND MAINT RELEASE. MAINT RELEASE WAS INVALIDATED BY MAINT CTL WHILE WE WERE AT RWY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE CONFUSION DEVELOPED AFTER LOCAL MAINT REPLACED THE BRAKE STEERING CONTROL UNIT (BSCU) AND DOWN GRADED THE ACFT'S APPROACH CATEGORY FROM A CAT THREE TO A CATEGORY TWO. THIS WAS DONE TO EXPEDITE THE ACFT'S RELEASE; OTHERWISE THE MAINT CHECK FOR A CATEGORY THREE RATING WOULD REQUIRE A LENGTHIER DELAY BEFORE DEPARTURE. COMPANY MAINT CONTROL WANTED A CONFIRMATION OF THE ACFT'S ACTUAL APPROACH CATEGORY STATUS AND DISAGREEING WITH LOCAL MAINT ON WHAT OPS CHECK WERE; OR WERE NOT; REQUIRED TO BE ACCOMPLISHED TO MAINTAIN CATEGORY THREE STATUS.

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.