A320 captain comments some items on the MEL are illogical, and don't make sense.

Attributes
ACN	560304
Time
Date	200209
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3225
ASRS Report	560304
Person 2
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Aircraft
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

While reviewing the maintenance release document before departure, spoke to the radio and electric maintenance about deferring the #3 audio panel. I also spoke to maintenance about the same problem. They both said that there was no deferral for this item, but could defer the observers seat which included the audio panel. I find this rather odd that we cannot defer #3 audio panel. Further, I find this disturbing that we are able to circumnav the MEL by taking another system off line to cover an item that has no deferral. When I finally got the new maintenance release document, it still showed the audio panel inoperative with a deferral for the seat. I think this was a wrong deferral because the seat should have been the write-up and in the notes referred to the audio panel. I think this item needs to be addressed. If the audio panel cannot be deferred properly, then the airplane should not leave the gate. However, I find it difficult to ground an airplane for an audio panel when we still have two working.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CAPT COMMENTS SOME ITEMS ON THE MEL ARE ILLOGICAL, AND DON'T MAKE SENSE.

Narrative: WHILE REVIEWING THE MAINT RELEASE DOCUMENT BEFORE DEP, SPOKE TO THE RADIO AND ELECTRIC MAINT ABOUT DEFERRING THE #3 AUDIO PANEL. I ALSO SPOKE TO MAINT ABOUT THE SAME PROB. THEY BOTH SAID THAT THERE WAS NO DEFERRAL FOR THIS ITEM, BUT COULD DEFER THE OBSERVERS SEAT WHICH INCLUDED THE AUDIO PANEL. I FIND THIS RATHER ODD THAT WE CANNOT DEFER #3 AUDIO PANEL. FURTHER, I FIND THIS DISTURBING THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CIRCUMNAV THE MEL BY TAKING ANOTHER SYS OFF LINE TO COVER AN ITEM THAT HAS NO DEFERRAL. WHEN I FINALLY GOT THE NEW MAINT RELEASE DOCUMENT, IT STILL SHOWED THE AUDIO PANEL INOP WITH A DEFERRAL FOR THE SEAT. I THINK THIS WAS A WRONG DEFERRAL BECAUSE THE SEAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE WRITE-UP AND IN THE NOTES REFERRED TO THE AUDIO PANEL. I THINK THIS ITEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. IF THE AUDIO PANEL CANNOT BE DEFERRED PROPERLY, THEN THE AIRPLANE SHOULD NOT LEAVE THE GATE. HOWEVER, I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO GND AN AIRPLANE FOR AN AUDIO PANEL WHEN WE STILL HAVE TWO WORKING.

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.