Narrative:

I flew an eastbound, all night, international flight to europe. The schedule layover was for 26 hours, however, I was able to only sleep 4-5 hours due to the time difference. I was awakened for the return flight and given a preliminary fuel load. I informed the agent that I would like to fuel to maximum if possible. The bus ride to the airport was excessive due to rush hour traffic. This cut our preflight time by 15 mins. Upon arriving at operations I was told that the flight was at maximum payload and that dispatch had sent a new release for about 2000 pounds less fuel. This I agreed was adequate, but if possible, I wanted the original load. I was then informed that the APU was inoperative. I reviewed the MEL and discovered that this required staff approval from the united states so I called the dispatcher in paris. He agreed that we would try to repair the APU, but if impossible he would send me a hard copy of the staff approval. We also added a 4TH rim alternate and I indicated that I would still like the original fuel/flight plan. He agreed. I signed the release and proceeded to the aircraft. The passenger were already on board and I reviewed the logbook/APU situation with the mechanic. We also discussed the fact that we would start 1 engine in the gate and xbleed start the second engine after pushback. I then became involved with the checklist and route/IRS position verification. At the departure end of the runway I pulled over while the first officer verified the printed load message with the FMS data. He verified that we were at maximum weight and the numbers agreed. The flight was uneventful. At 40 degrees west longitude we received our re-release, but it was based on the lesser fuel plan so I requested the original rerelease. It was received along with the destination WX, which was clear. Over the area of newfoundland, I informed my dispatch that we had a severe jetstream and requested an amended rerelease. It was sent and received. I was also informed that air force 1 was due to land at our destination at the same time and that the airport might close for that period. I requested a continuous update as I didn't want to use my reserve fuel for holding. We landed with fuel well above our minimum and I saw no problems. The day after the flight I began to review my copy of the release flight plan and I was concerned that I may not have signed the plan for the lesser fuel load. At one time there were some 6 plans laying on the table. I was also concerned that the fuel slip for lessor load may not agree with the retained master flight plan which is 2000 pounds greater. At no time were we unsure of our plan or fuel, but with all the activity in operations and being on a different time zone, I may have made an administrative error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT CONCERN REF SIGNING OF PROPER RELEASE FORM.

Narrative: I FLEW AN EBOUND, ALL NIGHT, INTL FLT TO EUROPE. THE SCHEDULE LAYOVER WAS FOR 26 HRS, HOWEVER, I WAS ABLE TO ONLY SLEEP 4-5 HRS DUE TO THE TIME DIFFERENCE. I WAS AWAKENED FOR THE RETURN FLT AND GIVEN A PRELIMINARY FUEL LOAD. I INFORMED THE AGENT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO FUEL TO MAX IF POSSIBLE. THE BUS RIDE TO THE ARPT WAS EXCESSIVE DUE TO RUSH HR TFC. THIS CUT OUR PREFLT TIME BY 15 MINS. UPON ARRIVING AT OPS I WAS TOLD THAT THE FLT WAS AT MAX PAYLOAD AND THAT DISPATCH HAD SENT A NEW RELEASE FOR ABOUT 2000 LBS LESS FUEL. THIS I AGREED WAS ADEQUATE, BUT IF POSSIBLE, I WANTED THE ORIGINAL LOAD. I WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THE APU WAS INOP. I REVIEWED THE MEL AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS REQUIRED STAFF APPROVAL FROM THE UNITED STATES SO I CALLED THE DISPATCHER IN PARIS. HE AGREED THAT WE WOULD TRY TO REPAIR THE APU, BUT IF IMPOSSIBLE HE WOULD SEND ME A HARD COPY OF THE STAFF APPROVAL. WE ALSO ADDED A 4TH RIM ALTERNATE AND I INDICATED THAT I WOULD STILL LIKE THE ORIGINAL FUEL/FLT PLAN. HE AGREED. I SIGNED THE RELEASE AND PROCEEDED TO THE ACFT. THE PAX WERE ALREADY ON BOARD AND I REVIEWED THE LOGBOOK/APU SIT WITH THE MECH. WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT WE WOULD START 1 ENG IN THE GATE AND XBLEED START THE SECOND ENG AFTER PUSHBACK. I THEN BECAME INVOLVED WITH THE CHKLIST AND RTE/IRS POS VERIFICATION. AT THE DEP END OF THE RWY I PULLED OVER WHILE THE FO VERIFIED THE PRINTED LOAD MESSAGE WITH THE FMS DATA. HE VERIFIED THAT WE WERE AT MAX WT AND THE NUMBERS AGREED. THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. AT 40 DEGS W LONGITUDE WE RECEIVED OUR RE-RELEASE, BUT IT WAS BASED ON THE LESSER FUEL PLAN SO I REQUESTED THE ORIGINAL RERELEASE. IT WAS RECEIVED ALONG WITH THE DEST WX, WHICH WAS CLR. OVER THE AREA OF NEWFOUNDLAND, I INFORMED MY DISPATCH THAT WE HAD A SEVERE JETSTREAM AND REQUESTED AN AMENDED RERELEASE. IT WAS SENT AND RECEIVED. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT AIR FORCE 1 WAS DUE TO LAND AT OUR DEST AT THE SAME TIME AND THAT THE ARPT MIGHT CLOSE FOR THAT PERIOD. I REQUESTED A CONTINUOUS UPDATE AS I DIDN'T WANT TO USE MY RESERVE FUEL FOR HOLDING. WE LANDED WITH FUEL WELL ABOVE OUR MINIMUM AND I SAW NO PROBS. THE DAY AFTER THE FLT I BEGAN TO REVIEW MY COPY OF THE RELEASE FLT PLAN AND I WAS CONCERNED THAT I MAY NOT HAVE SIGNED THE PLAN FOR THE LESSER FUEL LOAD. AT ONE TIME THERE WERE SOME 6 PLANS LAYING ON THE TABLE. I WAS ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE FUEL SLIP FOR LESSOR LOAD MAY NOT AGREE WITH THE RETAINED MASTER FLT PLAN WHICH IS 2000 LBS GREATER. AT NO TIME WERE WE UNSURE OF OUR PLAN OR FUEL, BUT WITH ALL THE ACTIVITY IN OPS AND BEING ON A DIFFERENT TIME ZONE, I MAY HAVE MADE AN ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.