Narrative:

This information is according to the mechanic who we summoned to the cockpit. Upon arrival at the aircraft; I checked the engine oil and the left engine had 23 quarts and the right engine 19 quarts. I know that 18 quarts is the minimum for dispatch. This is a 14 hour flight and I saw no reason to leave a maintenance station without a full oil tank on the engine. This is where we summoned a mechanic to inquire about servicing. He stated that on an ETOPS flight if only 1 engine is svced that it requires only 1 mechanic. So now at jfk if you can get by with the minimum oil in 1 engine; then only 1 mechanic will service 1 engine and leave the other one alone. If both engines are done; he says it takes 2 mechanics on both engines and this way they save manpwr. I do not think in the strongest terms this is appropriate. There is very little that we do in flight operations where operating at the minimum limits is the excepted norm. I also think that this may -- and I stress may -- be acceptable on a short domestic flight but strongly feel it is a compromise of safety to knowingly dispatch an aircraft on a 14 hour flight with 1 quart of oil above the minimum allowed. I feel this is a safety issue and needs to be looked into.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 CAPT DISCOVERS ENG OIL IS 1 QUART ABOVE MINIMUM AND ASKS THAT IT BE FILLED; WHICH TURNS OUT TO BE AGAINST COMPANY POLICY.

Narrative: THIS INFO IS ACCORDING TO THE MECH WHO WE SUMMONED TO THE COCKPIT. UPON ARR AT THE ACFT; I CHKED THE ENG OIL AND THE L ENG HAD 23 QUARTS AND THE R ENG 19 QUARTS. I KNOW THAT 18 QUARTS IS THE MINIMUM FOR DISPATCH. THIS IS A 14 HR FLT AND I SAW NO REASON TO LEAVE A MAINT STATION WITHOUT A FULL OIL TANK ON THE ENG. THIS IS WHERE WE SUMMONED A MECH TO INQUIRE ABOUT SVCING. HE STATED THAT ON AN ETOPS FLT IF ONLY 1 ENG IS SVCED THAT IT REQUIRES ONLY 1 MECH. SO NOW AT JFK IF YOU CAN GET BY WITH THE MINIMUM OIL IN 1 ENG; THEN ONLY 1 MECH WILL SVC 1 ENG AND LEAVE THE OTHER ONE ALONE. IF BOTH ENGS ARE DONE; HE SAYS IT TAKES 2 MECHS ON BOTH ENGS AND THIS WAY THEY SAVE MANPWR. I DO NOT THINK IN THE STRONGEST TERMS THIS IS APPROPRIATE. THERE IS VERY LITTLE THAT WE DO IN FLT OPS WHERE OPERATING AT THE MINIMUM LIMITS IS THE EXCEPTED NORM. I ALSO THINK THAT THIS MAY -- AND I STRESS MAY -- BE ACCEPTABLE ON A SHORT DOMESTIC FLT BUT STRONGLY FEEL IT IS A COMPROMISE OF SAFETY TO KNOWINGLY DISPATCH AN ACFT ON A 14 HR FLT WITH 1 QUART OF OIL ABOVE THE MINIMUM ALLOWED. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO.

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.