Narrative:

Aircraft had MEL 28-42-01C. Our dispatcher interpreted the MEL that the outer tank fuel was usable due to the in flight portion of an operations bulletin which outlined a procedure to regain outer tank fuel. I thought the information in the MEL section F and the operation procedures 2a overrode the procedure. I believed we could not include outer tank fuel as usable for purposes of dispatch fuel requirements. We took off cargo and added the amount of fuel in the outer tanks which I believed to be unusable; so that the flight would be accomplished without need for the outer tank fuel. For our re release another dispatcher released us with a min fuel load which allowed for unusable fuel in the outer tanks; as though he read the MEL as I did. The MEL's intent in explaining the procedure to regain outer tank fuel is not clear as to the reason it is where it is and why. Make the reason for the procedure to regain fuel clear; and unambiguous in its relationship to the requirement that the outer tank fuel is unusable. Beyond the performance degradation in the preflight section; make it clear there are dispatch fuel compensations for the unusable outer tank fuel.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A330 Captain reports being dispatched with MEL 28-42-01 for inoperative fuel quantity indications on the ECAM fuel page. This MEL requires outer tank fuel to be considered unusable but the Dispatcher does not see it that way; citing a company procedure that allows the fuel to be used. The Captain prevails.

Narrative: Aircraft had MEL 28-42-01C. Our Dispatcher interpreted the MEL that the outer tank fuel was usable due to the in flight portion of an operations bulletin which outlined a procedure to regain outer tank fuel. I thought the information in the MEL section F and the operation procedures 2a overrode the procedure. I believed we could not include outer tank fuel as usable for purposes of dispatch fuel requirements. We took off cargo and added the amount of fuel in the outer tanks which I believed to be unusable; so that the flight would be accomplished without need for the outer tank fuel. For our re release another Dispatcher released us with a min fuel load which allowed for unusable fuel in the outer tanks; as though he read the MEL as I did. The MEL's intent in explaining the procedure to regain outer tank fuel is not clear as to the reason it is where it is and why. Make the reason for the procedure to regain fuel clear; and unambiguous in its relationship to the requirement that the outer tank fuel is unusable. Beyond the performance degradation in the preflight section; make it clear there are dispatch fuel compensations for the unusable outer tank fuel.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.