Sorry but as well as phoning home with the OFDM data, which is encrypted, the jet also phones home reporting any snags.
I had an emergency exit indicate as open on the landing run on touchdown in TFS: by the time we had the pax disembarked a Spanish engineer from Futura appeared clutching a fax from Maintrol asking him to check the aircraft for the specific fault. I hadn't phoned Ops or Maintrol, nether had the FO.
Perhaps the previous crew had left a 'fag packet' in an empty line maintenance office
What kind of maintenance diagnostic system does the NG have? i have never had the privelage of working on a shiny boeing.
I know our QARs are downloaded at certain stations at certain intervals, and as far as im aware the information is mosty Trend with a small selection of data from the FDR, with full FDR downloads taken manually at longer intervals. The data is generally sent away for analysis.
as for the whole tech log issue....Put it in the book and give a verbal debrief (if met by an engineer) it makes the job a lot easier. i couldnt give much of a hoot if the aircraft is grounded by an open entry. better safe than sorry