As we have seen, Fuel Imbalance or Oil Temperature warnings can be the tip of an iceberg; so, at the first glimmer of Fuel Imbalance, just what is the procedure to exclude Fuel Leak <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

It seems that ECAMs generally report Fuel Imbalance before Fuel Disagree, but in this case that message, if issued, came a bit late. At the present time, Fuel Disagree is issued when remaining fuel disagrees substantially with what should be left after subtracting fuel burn.

It would be better to monitor tank depletion vs. engine burn in real time -- this requires integrating engine fuel flows over a short interval and comparing that to fuel quantity at the beginning of the interval less what's there now. That way a pipe rupture can be caught while there's still fuel somewhere.

The only time I had a fuel problem in cruise, it was actually due to the FE (DC-10) who had omitted to do a dipstick check when fuelling the centre tank when the guage was U/S. We ended up at 30 west with 3.5 tons too little fuel. It only showed up when we were able to transfer the fuel.

No dead stick landing but lots of calculations to get that bird home...

FEs are sterling fellows but they can make mistakes too.

Forgive my ignorance for I am not aircrew, but surely (if what I understand from reading here is correct) moving 15 tons of fuel to correct imbalance so early in a transatlantic flight should have set off a mental alarm somewhere?

Doc C.