Narrative:

I flew flight from ZZZ-ZZZZ. The inbound crew wrote up the left ECAM display for having a fault. The mechanic pulled out the screen and it had a few stickers on the back side. To our surprise the stickers read; 'simulator flight support removed from flight simulator may not be airworthy may 2003.' I asked the mechanic at what point we started using unairworthy simulator parts to fix the A300. 'I don't know; but this isn't right!' he also mentioned that this should've been caught between 2003-2008 during some of the regular maintenance checks. Turns out; the reason the screen failed was because of an overheat caused by a massive amount of lint buildup blocking the 2 cooling inlets. Makes me wonder when the last time the screens were pulled; or if tail was inspected as advertised. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated he was informed by his carrier the ECAM unit written up and removed for an overheat fault was an airworthy part. Appears maintenance failed to remove the stickers when the display unit went through the shop after being removed from the A300 simulator. Reporter stated he did not know why the required cleaning of the ECAM inlet and outlet cooling screens was never accomplished.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS A300 PILOT REPORTS ON MAINT FINDING AN UNAIRWORTHY SIMULATOR PART; ECAM DISPLAY UNIT; WITH STICKER STATING 'MAY NOT BE AIRWORTHY' INSTALLED AT THE LEFT ECAM POSITION.

Narrative: I FLEW FLT FROM ZZZ-ZZZZ. THE INBOUND CREW WROTE UP THE L ECAM DISPLAY FOR HAVING A FAULT. THE MECH PULLED OUT THE SCREEN AND IT HAD A FEW STICKERS ON THE BACK SIDE. TO OUR SURPRISE THE STICKERS READ; 'SIMULATOR FLT SUPPORT REMOVED FROM FLT SIMULATOR MAY NOT BE AIRWORTHY MAY 2003.' I ASKED THE MECH AT WHAT POINT WE STARTED USING UNAIRWORTHY SIMULATOR PARTS TO FIX THE A300. 'I DON'T KNOW; BUT THIS ISN'T RIGHT!' HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THIS SHOULD'VE BEEN CAUGHT BTWN 2003-2008 DURING SOME OF THE REGULAR MAINT CHKS. TURNS OUT; THE REASON THE SCREEN FAILED WAS BECAUSE OF AN OVERHEAT CAUSED BY A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF LINT BUILDUP BLOCKING THE 2 COOLING INLETS. MAKES ME WONDER WHEN THE LAST TIME THE SCREENS WERE PULLED; OR IF TAIL WAS INSPECTED AS ADVERTISED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED HE WAS INFORMED BY HIS CARRIER THE ECAM UNIT WRITTEN UP AND REMOVED FOR AN OVERHEAT FAULT WAS AN AIRWORTHY PART. APPEARS MAINT FAILED TO REMOVE THE STICKERS WHEN THE DISPLAY UNIT WENT THROUGH THE SHOP AFTER BEING REMOVED FROM THE A300 SIMULATOR. REPORTER STATED HE DID NOT KNOW WHY THE REQUIRED CLEANING OF THE ECAM INLET AND OUTLET COOLING SCREENS WAS NEVER ACCOMPLISHED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.