OPERATIONS

A Recall on the Correct Use of the MEL

A Recall on the
Correct Use
of the MEL
The dispatch under a Minimum Equipment List (MEL) item
allows to dispatch an aircraft in a safe and airworthy condition
when certain system functions or equipment are temporarily
unavailable or inoperative, enabling the aircraft to continue
earning revenue without compromising the safety of the flight.
But, what are the MEL principles and are there good practices
to think about when dispatching an aircraft with an MEL item
in the tech log?
Safety first #25 January 2018 - 1/11
 In the daily operations of an aircraft, failures that have an impact
the flight dispatch can happen. A lack of spare parts or other
constraints may make it unfeasible to fix the issue before the
next scheduled flight. Using the MEL to dispatch an aircraft with a
system function or equipment which is inoperative can avoid costly
operation disruptions and ensures that the safety of the aircraft
is not impaired. The operator can then schedule the necessary
maintenance action at the next most suitable opportunity such
as a return to a main base or a station when spares parts are
available. This article recalls the principles of the Master Minimum
Equipment List (MMEL) which is the baseline for the establishment
of the Operator’s Minimum Equipment List (MEL). It also provides
an overview of the best practices for using the MEL.

THE MMEL AND THE MEL

Definitions
MMEL

The Airbus MMEL is a dispatch document that is produced by the aircraft The MMEL is
manufacturer and approved by the certification authorities. used as a reference
The MMEL is used as a reference by the Operators to create their own MEL, by the Operators
which will permit the dispatch and operation of an aircraft with one or more to create their
inoperative equipment or unavailable system function while maintaining an
acceptable level of safety. own MEL
MEL

The MEL is a dispatch document developed by the Operator based on the aircraft
manufacturer’s MMEL. The MEL must be as restrictive as or more restrictive
than the MMEL and must be approved by the Operator’s national airworthiness
authorities.
The MEL must
The MEL permits the Operator to assess the impact on their operations (flight
schedule, route, environmental conditions,...) while operating an aircraft with
be as restrictive as
systems, functions or components inoperative, thus to optimize aircraft dispatch or more restrictive
reliability and profitability without impairing safety. than the MMEL and
How is the MMEL developed? must be approved
by the Operator’s
The MMEL provides a list of items with associated conditions for dispatch.
For every item, Airbus must demonstrate that the associated dispatch conditions
national airworthiness
are compliant with the certification requirements as specified by EASA. The major authorities.
steps of this demonstration are the following:

Step 1: Assessment of the MMEL item to identify any operational impact or impact
on other system functions, and check if there is any influence on the safety level
of the aircraft.

Safety first #25 January 2018 - 2/11

OPERATIONS
A Recall on the Correct Use of the MEL

Step 2: Identification and assessment of the operational and safety impact of the
next critical aircraft system failure which may occur during subsequent flights.

Step 3: Definition of any maintenance actions or operational procedures that may

be necessary as a means of mitigation for the assessed impacts of the MMEL item.

Based on the above assessments, a dispatch status is defined for each MMEL
item as either:

- “GO” when the dispatch is permitted for a limited period of time without
specific dispatch condition, or

- “GO IF” when the dispatch is permitted for a limited period of time with
specific dispatch conditions, or

- “NO GO” when the dispatch is not permitted and corrective maintenance
action must be undertaken before the aircraft can continue operations.

How is the MEL developed?

The Operator’s MEL is a dispatch document which should be tailored according to
the Operator’s routes, procedures and applicable local regulations, and within the
constraints defined by the aircraft manufacturer’s MMEL.

The Operator’s
MEL is a dispatch
document which
should be tailored
according to the
Operator’s routes,
procedures and
applicable local
regulations, and
within the
constraints defined
by the aircraft
manufacturer’s
MMEL. When does the MEL apply?
As per regulations, when there are failures or defects that cannot be rectified, and
which are covered by an MEL item, the MEL must be applied prior to departure
and accepted the Captain.

The “departure” corresponds to the “commencement of the flight”.

“The commencement of the flight” is defined as the moment when the aircraft
starts to move under its own power for the purpose of takeoff (i.e. the taxi phase).

EASA and FAA require Operators to define procedures in their MEL for the
management of any failure that occurs during the taxi-out phase.

Safety first #25 January 2018 - 3/11

EASA regulations

The EASA regulations require that Operators define an appropriate guidance for
flight crew for the management of failures if they occur between the start of taxi
and commencement of take-off roll.

The EASA regulations also state that the captain may decide to continue with the flight
based on their “good judgment and airmanship”. Additionally, their regulations allow
flight crew to consult the MEL if it will help them to make a decision. Communication
with dispatch, or the Operator’s maintenance control centre, may assist the flight
crew in their assessment of the MEL item and aid the Captain to decide if they will
continue with the flight or not.

The final decision to continue with the flight is the responsibility of the Captain.
This decision should be based on any operational considerations that could impair
the current flight and also consider any impact on the subsequent missions of the
aircraft.

FAA regulations

The FAA regulations require that Operators establish a procedure for the Pilot
In Command (PIC) to communicate with the aircraft dispatch and maintenance
organizations when a failure occurs after an aircraft departs the gate or ramp area,
during pushback, taxi or prior to take-off.

This procedure permits the flight crew to review the situation and determine if
the aircraft can be either dispatched with the failure under the MEL item, or if the
failure must be rectified before take-off. If a dispatch with the failure under the
relevant MEL item is advised, the return to the gate to accomplish the appropriate
maintenance or operational procedure must be considered. In coordination with
the Operator’s dispatch and maintenance organization, certain MEL procedures
may be accomplished by the flight crew without returning to the gate, provided
these procedures are approved by the FAA’s Principal Operations Inspector (POI).

Other Local regulations if a system or

Other National Aviation Authorities (NAA) may have regulations that differ from the
equipment defect
regulations defined by the EASA or by the FAA. It is the responsibility of each is detected during
Operator to check the applicable regulations with their relevant NAA. flight, the MEL
MEL consultation in flight information may be
useful to assess
The MEL is defined as a dispatch document and therefore the MEL is not
applicable in flight. However, if a system or equipment defect is detected during
the likely dispatch
flight, the MEL information may be useful to assess the likely dispatch condition condition for the next
for the next flight. A detailed description of the defect detected should be entered
in the tech log, and Operator’s dispatch or Maintenance Control Centre notified
flight.
so they can consult MEL when the aircraft arrives.

What about multiple failures?

If several aircraft system functions or equipment are inoperative, operators should
consult the MEL for each individual item to check if there are any incompatibilities
for each of the associated dispatch conditions. If there is no MEL restriction, it
is the flight crew’s responsibility to assess the situation and to decide whether
or not to dispatch the aircraft with multiple inoperative items.

Safety first #25 January 2018 - 4/11

OPERATIONS
A Recall on the Correct Use of the MEL

RULES AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
ON HOW TO USE THE MEL
From the moment of the failure has occurred until the dispatch of the aircraft, the
following steps should be followed to ensure that the aircraft can be dispatched
in an airworthy condition.

Step 1: Detection of the failure

A failure is detected:

-Through an ECAM alert or an indication on the Master Warning Panel (A300

B2/B4 only) or a failure indication on the Maintenance Panel (A300/A310 only)
- Through an observation of the flight crew by:
• A flight deck effect (missing indication, amber indication on a System Display
(SD) page, inoperative button or display, etc...)
• A defective component detected during the external walkaround
(e.g. external light not illuminating)
-Through an observation of the maintenance personnel.

Any aircraft Step 2: Reporting the failure

system function Any aircraft system function unavailability or equipment failure has to be reported
unavailability or in the technical logbook by the flight crew.
equipment failure has This technical logbook entry is the starting point for assessing any defect using
to be reported in the the MEL. The flight crew should write any additional information associated to
technical logbook by the defect that will help identify the cause of the defect such as the ECAM alert
title, time of occurrence, SD page indication and flight phase.
the flight crew
Line Maintenance personnel can also make an entry in the aircraft’s technical
logbook to report any system function defect or inoperative equipment detected
during ground operations.

NOTE
Aircraft system defects detected in the passenger cabin may be reported by the
cabin crew in the cabin logbook. Should the defect have an impact on dispatch,
these entries must be transferred to the aircraft’s technical logbook before
assessing the relevant MEL item applicability.

Safety first #25 January 2018 - 5/11

Step 3: Identification of the correct dispatch
condition or MEL item associated to the failure

The identification of the failure is usually based on the ECAM alert’s title and
the dispatch assessment is provided in the MEL Entries section under the
“CONDITION OF DISPATCH” header (fig.1).

(fig.1)
Example of a MEL entry with
an associated MEL item

KEYPOINT
If a failure is classified as “NO DISPATCH” (fig.2), the aircraft must not be
dispatched until the equipment or function is rectified.

(fig.2)
Example of a MEL entry with a
“NO DISPATCH” condition

In some cases, MEL Entries section may require additional action by the flight crew
or the maintenance crew in order to assess the dispatch conditions, particularly
when:

- One ECAM alert refers to several MMEL items (fig.3)

(fig.3)
Example of a MEL entry with several
associated MEL items

- The dispatch condition assessment depends whether the ECAM alert is actual
or false (spurious) (fig.4)

(fig.4)
Example of a MEL with dispatch condition
depending whether the alert is actual of false

Safety first #25 January 2018 - 6/11

OPERATIONS
A Recall on the Correct Use of the MEL

- The dispatch condition assessment requires additional information such as

ECAM indication on the SD page (fig.5)

(fig.5)
Example of a MEL entry with the dispatch
condition depending on indications on the
associated SD page

On A350, the ECAM Dispatch Messages are a straight forward help for dispatch.
The flight crew finds the Dispatch Message in the MEL entries section to get the
condition of dispatch or identify the applicable MEL item (fig.6)

(fig.6)
Example of a Dispatch Message on A350

The A380 and A350 MEL also show a “Crew Observations” section in the
MEL entries (fig.7) covering failures of monitored systems that are indicated
with flight deck effects that don’t have an associated ECAM alert or Dispatch
Message, for example, an amber indication on system display (SD) page or when
the FAULT light of a pushbutton switch illuminates. The “Crew Observations”
section also covers malfunctions that can be visually detected by the flight crew
or the maintenance personnel, for example during the external walk around.

(fig.7)
Example of a Crew Observation in the MEL
Entries section on A380

If the failure is not linked to an ECAM alert or to a failure reflected in the Crew
Observation section (A380 & A350), the correct MEL item should be identified
directly into the MEL items section.

KEYPOINT
It is important to identify the MEL item correctly. The application of a MEL item that
does not correspond to the inoperative equipment or unavailable system function
may have unintended consequences for the safety of the flight.

Safety first #25 January 2018 - 7/11

Step 4: Review of the dispatch conditions
When the MEL item is correctly identified, the flight crew should carefully review The application
the dispatch condition. of a MEL item that is
If there are several dispatch conditions, the title of the associated dispatch not corresponding
condition helps to identify which one is applicable (fig.8). with the inoperative
equipment or
unavailable system
function may
have unintended
consequences for
the safety of the
flight.

(fig.8)
Example of a MEL item with two dispatch
conditions: 36-12-02A and 36-12-02B

Step 5: Decision for dispatch

Maintenance personnel may propose to dispatch the aircraft under MEL item
provided that all of the associated dispatch conditions are fulfilled.

It is the Captain’s responsibility to accept the aircraft dispatch under the MEL item
for the flight; taking into account not only the MEL dispatch condition but also the
applicable operator’s policy and the operational constraints.

It is
the Captain’s
responsibility to
accept the aircraft
dispatch under
the MEL item
for the flight

Safety first #25 January 2018 - 8/11

OPERATIONS
A Recall on the Correct Use of the MEL

Step 6: Log of the MEL item

Inoperative The maintenance personnel must make an entry into the logbook for the MEL
items should be item and determine the deadline for rectification based on the MEL repair interval.
repaired as soon as Inoperative items should be repaired as soon as possible and at least within the
possible and at least period of time defined by the repair interval (fig.9).
within the period of
time defined by the
repair interval BEST PRACTICE
 lan the repair as soon as possible to avoid operational disruption should
P
additional failure occur that may make the dispatch impossible.

T
 he allowable intervals for rectification are classified as the following:

Interval A B C D
Calendar Refer to interval 3* 10* 120*
Days provided in MMEL item

*Excluding the day the defect was first detected

In-flight No Dispatch due

failure MEL Repair Interval (B = 3 Calendar Days) to repair interval
MEL exceedance
! Dispatch during flight

Flight 1 Flight 2 Flight 3 Flight 4 Flight 5

(fig.9)
Principle of the repair interval
Day of
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
Discovery
0h 0h 0h 0h 0h

Specificity of Category “A” repair intervals

MEL with category “A” repair intervals can use different references, e.g. calendar
days, flight cycles…

Step 7: Initial dispatch

For the first dispatch after applying the MEL item, all dispatch conditions and
associated limitations must be accounted for and any relevant maintenance (m)
and operational (o) procedures must be applied to maintain an acceptable level
of safety for the operation of the aircraft, even with the inoperative equipment or
unavailable system function.

BEST PRACTICE
 or a complete awareness of aircraft dispatch condition, maintenance personnel
F
should also consult the operational procedure (when applicable).

Safety first #25 January 2018 - 9/11

 KEYPOINT
An incorrect or incomplete application of the maintenance or operational procedure
may impair the safety of the flight.

Step 8: Subsequent flights dispatched under MEL An incorrect

item
or incomplete
application of
For the subsequent flights, the flight crew must check that any open MEL item the maintenance
in the logbook is within the window of the repair interval and that this time limit
won’t be exceeded during the next flight mission. or operational
procedure may
When the dispatch conditions are accepted by the captain (as described in step
5), all necessary operational procedures must also be applied.
impair the safety
of the aircraft.
In the case when a new MEL item is recorded in the technical logbook, the
maintenance personnel must also review all of the pre-existing MEL items to
ensure that all of the dispatch conditions for each item are fulfilled.

KEYPOINT
In the case of a multiple MEL items logged, flight crew and maintenance personnel
must check before each flight that dispatch conditions of all MEL items are fulfilled.

The MEL is a commonly used tool allowing for the safe and continuous
CONTRIBUTORS: operation of the aircraft until rectification of certain inoperative equipment
Yannick DUMOLLARD or unavailable system functions that are not adversely affecting the
MMEL Expert airworthiness of the aircraft. But incorrectly using the MEL could lead
Flight Operations Support
to dispatching an aircraft in a configuration that is not airworthy and
with potential consequences that could impair the safety of the flight.

Understanding the principles and rules for correctly applying MEL items
is crucial for both maintenance personnel and flight crews.

When dispatching under a MEL item, the conditions of dispatch and

the rectification interval must be taken into account and the associated
maintenance and operational procedures must be accurately applied.

It is ultimately the Captain’s responsibility to decide to dispatch the

aircraft for flight under the MEL conditions.

Safety first #25 January 2018 - 10/11

 Safety first
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Safety first,#25 January, 2018. Safety fi rst of the safety of aircraft operations by increasing knowledge
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Safety first #25 January 2018 - 11/11