An A320 wing anti-ice valve was MEL'ed open but the ECAM did not present the expected annunciations.

Attributes
ACN	651272
Time
Date	200502
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial ground : pushback ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	651272
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Aircraft had right wing anti-ice valve deferred and wired in the 'open' position. MEL placard stated to expect ecams on startup; climb out; and after landing; but gave no further details. No ECAM occurred after start or on climb out. Because of this; the proper bleed confign was not known. We relayed messages back and forth with maintenance; but most of the information they gave us was straight from the placard which stated to follow ECAM guidance. This procedure is vague and ambiguous. While I do not feel that safety was jeopardized; I do not feel comfortable with this level of ambiguity when operating this aircraft. Without more thorough guidance; I will refuse to fly any aircraft with this deferral in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 WING ANTI-ICE VALVE WAS MEL'ED OPEN BUT THE ECAM DID NOT PRESENT THE EXPECTED ANNUNCIATIONS.

Narrative: ACFT HAD R WING ANTI-ICE VALVE DEFERRED AND WIRED IN THE 'OPEN' POS. MEL PLACARD STATED TO EXPECT ECAMS ON STARTUP; CLBOUT; AND AFTER LNDG; BUT GAVE NO FURTHER DETAILS. NO ECAM OCCURRED AFTER START OR ON CLBOUT. BECAUSE OF THIS; THE PROPER BLEED CONFIGN WAS NOT KNOWN. WE RELAYED MESSAGES BACK AND FORTH WITH MAINT; BUT MOST OF THE INFO THEY GAVE US WAS STRAIGHT FROM THE PLACARD WHICH STATED TO FOLLOW ECAM GUIDANCE. THIS PROC IS VAGUE AND AMBIGUOUS. WHILE I DO NOT FEEL THAT SAFETY WAS JEOPARDIZED; I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THIS LEVEL OF AMBIGUITY WHEN OPERATING THIS ACFT. WITHOUT MORE THOROUGH GUIDANCE; I WILL REFUSE TO FLY ANY ACFT WITH THIS DEFERRAL IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.