Narrative:

2 FMGC computers needed to be installed on aircraft X due to a rob action. 2 new FMGC's were installed; and software was uploaded. The event was triggered by the company's option selectable software not being uploaded to the new FMGC's. Occurred at the line maintenance hangar. I was the only mechanic doing the replacement and software upload. The crew reported that the FMGC fuel prompt was incorrect on the mcdu. The technician that met the aircraft reloaded the ami and opc software into the FMGC's. The event was caused by the absence of the company selectable software options not being uploaded to the computers. The 2 software discs I had with me were labeled 'navigation database.' this software was uploaded and crossloaded without incident. No error messages were generated. Reading the task procedures; and based on my experience with loading FMGC computers which required only the navigation database to be uploaded; I felt that the 2 discs labeled 'navigation database' contained all mentioned information needed by the FMGC's. The FMS2 system is new and has need of additional software when a clean install (2 new computers from the maintenance facility) occurs. This is a departure from my experience and training (OJT) on software uploads for the FMGC system. Since both installed FMGC's had identical default software; no error messages were generated. I performed a hardware test; and certification test without incident. When performing task procedures; make sure the data is clear before proceeding. If not; ask for help. When working on a new system; ask for training materials; and OJT if necessary from an experienced mechanic or from the training department. If the mechanic's experience of training may be out of date; ask for a recurrent training session from the maintenance training department or your supervisor. I myself will do all the above to assure this does not happen again. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the flight crew noted the fuel prompt on the airbus A321 mcdu was incorrect; because the fuel readings were in kilograms; instead of pounds. Reporter stated; had he read further into the maintenance procedure; after he had uploaded the navigation database into the two new FMGC's he installed; he would have seen the additional requirement to load the company's selectable software options. This added data would have changed the fuel load readings from kilograms into pounds. Reporter also stated the mcdu's on their A321 aircraft are the LCD type displays; not the older CRT type mcdu's.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLIGHT CREW REPORTED THE FMGC FUEL PROMPT WAS INCORRECT ON THE MCDU OF THEIR AIRBUS A321 ACFT. BOTH FMGC'S WERE PREVIOUSLY REPLACED AND NAV DATABASES LOADED.

Narrative: 2 FMGC COMPUTERS NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED ON ACFT X DUE TO A ROB ACTION. 2 NEW FMGC'S WERE INSTALLED; AND SOFTWARE WAS UPLOADED. THE EVENT WAS TRIGGERED BY THE COMPANY'S OPTION SELECTABLE SOFTWARE NOT BEING UPLOADED TO THE NEW FMGC'S. OCCURRED AT THE LINE MAINT HANGAR. I WAS THE ONLY MECH DOING THE REPLACEMENT AND SOFTWARE UPLOAD. THE CREW RPTED THAT THE FMGC FUEL PROMPT WAS INCORRECT ON THE MCDU. THE TECHNICIAN THAT MET THE ACFT RELOADED THE AMI AND OPC SOFTWARE INTO THE FMGC'S. THE EVENT WAS CAUSED BY THE ABSENCE OF THE COMPANY SELECTABLE SOFTWARE OPTIONS NOT BEING UPLOADED TO THE COMPUTERS. THE 2 SOFTWARE DISCS I HAD WITH ME WERE LABELED 'NAV DATABASE.' THIS SOFTWARE WAS UPLOADED AND CROSSLOADED WITHOUT INCIDENT. NO ERROR MESSAGES WERE GENERATED. READING THE TASK PROCS; AND BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE WITH LOADING FMGC COMPUTERS WHICH REQUIRED ONLY THE NAV DATABASE TO BE UPLOADED; I FELT THAT THE 2 DISCS LABELED 'NAV DATABASE' CONTAINED ALL MENTIONED INFO NEEDED BY THE FMGC'S. THE FMS2 SYS IS NEW AND HAS NEED OF ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE WHEN A CLEAN INSTALL (2 NEW COMPUTERS FROM THE MAINT FACILITY) OCCURS. THIS IS A DEP FROM MY EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING (OJT) ON SOFTWARE UPLOADS FOR THE FMGC SYS. SINCE BOTH INSTALLED FMGC'S HAD IDENTICAL DEFAULT SOFTWARE; NO ERROR MESSAGES WERE GENERATED. I PERFORMED A HARDWARE TEST; AND CERTIFICATION TEST WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHEN PERFORMING TASK PROCS; MAKE SURE THE DATA IS CLR BEFORE PROCEEDING. IF NOT; ASK FOR HELP. WHEN WORKING ON A NEW SYS; ASK FOR TRAINING MATERIALS; AND OJT IF NECESSARY FROM AN EXPERIENCED MECH OR FROM THE TRAINING DEPT. IF THE MECH'S EXPERIENCE OF TRAINING MAY BE OUT OF DATE; ASK FOR A RECURRENT TRAINING SESSION FROM THE MAINT TRAINING DEPT OR YOUR SUPVR. I MYSELF WILL DO ALL THE ABOVE TO ASSURE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE FLIGHT CREW NOTED THE FUEL PROMPT ON THE AIRBUS A321 MCDU WAS INCORRECT; BECAUSE THE FUEL READINGS WERE IN KILOGRAMS; INSTEAD OF POUNDS. REPORTER STATED; HAD HE READ FURTHER INTO THE MAINT PROCEDURE; AFTER HE HAD UPLOADED THE NAV DATABASE INTO THE TWO NEW FMGC'S HE INSTALLED; HE WOULD HAVE SEEN THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT TO LOAD THE COMPANY'S SELECTABLE SOFTWARE OPTIONS. THIS ADDED DATA WOULD HAVE CHANGED THE FUEL LOAD READINGS FROM KILOGRAMS INTO POUNDS. REPORTER ALSO STATED THE MCDU'S ON THEIR A321 ACFT ARE THE LCD TYPE DISPLAYS; NOT THE OLDER CRT TYPE MCDU'S.

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.