Narrative:

MEL reads; 'terminal RNAV procedures may be conducted provided the database has been verified by flight operations.' how does a dispatcher know if the terminal RNAV procedure has been verified? Who is flight operations? There is no explanation who they are in the general section. Is it the chief pilot on duty? Flight operations pilot located in dispatch? How do I contact them? What is their procedure to verify? To meet the letter of the MEL? Maintenance has a procedures manual; what does flight operations use? I called maintenance control for an explanation because that's who dispatch are to contact for MEL clarification. Maintenance control said they didn't know. Also the MEL says; 'global navigation system' rnp approach procedures are not required. Are MD80 aircraft rnp certified? I didn't think they were but the MEL leads you to believe they are. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that since he sent his report; he was informed by his company that flight operations is organizationally tasked with the requirement to verify RNAV procedures. But; in reality that is not happening. So the end result is the MEL procedure that allows for RNAV relief cannot be approved because the proviso to verify the RNAV database isn't being satisfied by flight operations. Therefore; even though language continues to exist in their MEL procedures; this relief won't be allowed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DISPATCHER FOR AN MD-80 CARRIER QUESTIONS HOW IS HE TO KNOW IF A TERMINAL RNAV PROCEDURE HAS BEEN VERIFIED IN ORDER TO SATISFY MEL RELIEF.

Narrative: MEL READS; 'TERMINAL RNAV PROCS MAY BE CONDUCTED PROVIDED THE DATABASE HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY FLT OPS.' HOW DOES A DISPATCHER KNOW IF THE TERMINAL RNAV PROC HAS BEEN VERIFIED? WHO IS FLT OPS? THERE IS NO EXPLANATION WHO THEY ARE IN THE GENERAL SECTION. IS IT THE CHIEF PLT ON DUTY? FLT OPS PLT LOCATED IN DISPATCH? HOW DO I CONTACT THEM? WHAT IS THEIR PROC TO VERIFY? TO MEET THE LETTER OF THE MEL? MAINT HAS A PROCS MANUAL; WHAT DOES FLT OPS USE? I CALLED MAINT CTL FOR AN EXPLANATION BECAUSE THAT'S WHO DISPATCH ARE TO CONTACT FOR MEL CLARIFICATION. MAINT CTL SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW. ALSO THE MEL SAYS; 'GLOBAL NAV SYS' RNP APCH PROCS ARE NOT REQUIRED. ARE MD80 ACFT RNP CERTIFIED? I DIDN'T THINK THEY WERE BUT THE MEL LEADS YOU TO BELIEVE THEY ARE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THAT SINCE HE SENT HIS REPORT; HE WAS INFORMED BY HIS COMPANY THAT FLIGHT OPS IS ORGANIZATIONALLY TASKED WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO VERIFY RNAV PROCEDURES. BUT; IN REALITY THAT IS NOT HAPPENING. SO THE END RESULT IS THE MEL PROCEDURE THAT ALLOWS FOR RNAV RELIEF CANNOT BE APPROVED BECAUSE THE PROVISO TO VERIFY THE RNAV DATABASE ISN'T BEING SATISFIED BY FLIGHT OPS. THEREFORE; EVEN THOUGH LANGUAGE CONTINUES TO EXIST IN THEIR MEL PROCEDURES; THIS RELIEF WON'T BE ALLOWED.

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.