Narrative:

Inbound crew wrote up #1 engine as having large oil temperature fluctuations (ECAM) during the flight. Maintenance was at the plane when we arrived. They decided to change the sensor at the engine. 3 hours later, after the work and a test run at the gate, we departed. All was normal during start, taxi and takeoff. During climb out, we noticed the oil temperature starting to fluctuate again. After a few mins of monitoring, I decided to return to jfk. We notified ATC of our intentions and received a clearance back to jfk. All other indications on the engine appeared normal, so I decided to keep the engine running for our approach and overweight landing. I briefed the flight attendants of the situation and what to expect. We were planning a normal approach and landing with the normal parade of emergency vehicles surrounding us on the trip to the gate. The new first officer did an excellent job of flying the airplane and working with ATC as I completed all my tasks. I decided to land the plane since this was his first flight on the new equipment. The approach and landing went smooth. We taxied to the gate. I completed the required paperwork and advised dispatch of the details. After all was said and done, I realized I notified ATC of the situation and requested the emergency equipment to be standing by, but I never did actually declare an emergency or state I was exercising captain's emergency authority/authorized with ZNY. This is required per flight manual and most of all, it is the best way to handle it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 CREW RETURNED TO THEIR DEP ARPT AFTER EXPERIENCING FLUCTUATING OIL TEMP INDICATIONS. THE ACFT WAS WRITTEN UP FOR THE SAME PROB THE LAST FLT.

Narrative: INBOUND CREW WROTE UP #1 ENG AS HAVING LARGE OIL TEMP FLUCTUATIONS (ECAM) DURING THE FLT. MAINT WAS AT THE PLANE WHEN WE ARRIVED. THEY DECIDED TO CHANGE THE SENSOR AT THE ENG. 3 HRS LATER, AFTER THE WORK AND A TEST RUN AT THE GATE, WE DEPARTED. ALL WAS NORMAL DURING START, TAXI AND TKOF. DURING CLBOUT, WE NOTICED THE OIL TEMP STARTING TO FLUCTUATE AGAIN. AFTER A FEW MINS OF MONITORING, I DECIDED TO RETURN TO JFK. WE NOTIFIED ATC OF OUR INTENTIONS AND RECEIVED A CLRNC BACK TO JFK. ALL OTHER INDICATIONS ON THE ENG APPEARED NORMAL, SO I DECIDED TO KEEP THE ENG RUNNING FOR OUR APCH AND OVERWT LNDG. I BRIEFED THE FLT ATTENDANTS OF THE SIT AND WHAT TO EXPECT. WE WERE PLANNING A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG WITH THE NORMAL PARADE OF EMER VEHICLES SURROUNDING US ON THE TRIP TO THE GATE. THE NEW FO DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF FLYING THE AIRPLANE AND WORKING WITH ATC AS I COMPLETED ALL MY TASKS. I DECIDED TO LAND THE PLANE SINCE THIS WAS HIS FIRST FLT ON THE NEW EQUIP. THE APCH AND LNDG WENT SMOOTH. WE TAXIED TO THE GATE. I COMPLETED THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK AND ADVISED DISPATCH OF THE DETAILS. AFTER ALL WAS SAID AND DONE, I REALIZED I NOTIFIED ATC OF THE SIT AND REQUESTED THE EMER EQUIP TO BE STANDING BY, BUT I NEVER DID ACTUALLY DECLARE AN EMER OR STATE I WAS EXERCISING CAPT'S EMER AUTH WITH ZNY. THIS IS REQUIRED PER FLT MANUAL AND MOST OF ALL, IT IS THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE IT.

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.