MEL Rectification Interval expiry
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']Colleagues
I have a question with respect to the expiry of rectification intervals defined in MMEL / MEL. I have searched all available regulating documentation without finding the answer.
Allow me to elaborate my query. Lets take an example of a MEL category A that has an RI of 2 days.
Lets say the fault was discovered on the 1st Jan, 2008 at 16:30, 1st of Jan will be the day of discovery & the count for the rectification interval will begin at 00:00 2nd Jan & expire at 23:59 3rd of Jan
My question is as follows: With no rectification carried out on the 2nd or the 3rd, is a flight programmed to depart at 23:30 3rd of Jan legal? The idea obviously being that the MEL is cleared when the A/C arrives at the maintenance base at 07:00 on the 4th....
My personal thoughts are that this flight cannot be programmed because the MEL expires inflight & should be taken into consideration during dispatch. All I have found supporting my theory is a document that Airbus published to aid operators in understanding concepts used in the MMEL/MEL. Below is the link (see page 40)
http://www.flightlevel400.com/docume...dMEL220705.pdf
The thing is I havent been able to find any regulatory documentation describing or clarifying this concept
I would like to know the communities' thoughts on this & if anyone knows where I may be able to find official documentation that clarifies this issue.....
Thanks[/FONT]