A FE ACCEPTING THE ACFT FOR FLT WAS CRITICAL OF THE FUEL REMAINING IN #2 TANK AS BROUGHT IN BY THE PREVIOUS FE.

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AN ONCOMING (RELIEVING) CREW MEMBER WROTE UP A FUEL LOAD DISCREPANCY ON AN ACFT THAT I WAS THE PREVIOUS FE ON. THE DISCREPANCY READ AS FOLLOWS: FUEL LOAD AT GATE FOUND TO BE #1 TANK 1500 POUNDS; #2 TANK 14500 POUNDS; #3 TANK 1500 POUNDS. THE DISCREPANCY WAS SIGNED OFF MY MAINT AS 'ACTUAL FUEL INDICATED WAS CORRECT WITH WHAT WAS ON BOARD; NO DISCREPANCY FOUND.' APPARENTLY THIS CREW MEMBER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE LARGE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE #2 TANK. GRANTED THIS IS AN UNUSUAL FUEL LOAD AT FLT TERMINATION (GENERALLY ALL TANKS ARE EVEN). HOWEVER; THIS PARTICULAR ACFT HAS ITS #2 FUEL GAUGE PLACARDED INOP. I FOLLOWED THE FLT MANUAL PROC AND BURNED FUEL OUT OF THE #2 TANK FOR GND OPS PRIOR TO TKOF; SINCE THE #2 TANK HAD A GREATER AMOUNT OF FUEL (AS DETERMINED BY A FUEL SLIP). JUST PRIOR TO TKOF I SET THE FUEL PANEL FOR TANK TO ENG ON #1 AND #3 AND SET THE #2 TANK TO KEEP THE XFEED LINE CHARGED. I ELECTED TO MAINTAIN THIS CONFIGN THROUGHOUT THE FLT PROFILE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASON: THE FUEL MGMNT LIMITATIONS ARE 1) THAT THE #2 TANK IS NOT TO BE LESS THAN 2000 POUNDS BELOW TANKS #1 AND #3. 2) NO MORE THAN A 1000 POUND SPLIT BTWN #1 AND #3 TANKS. WITH THESE LIMITATIONS IN MIND; I OPTED TO MAINTAIN AN EXACT BAL BTWN TANKS #1 AND #3 AND NOT TO XFEED FROM THE #2 TANK SINCE THE FUEL LEVEL COULD ONLY BE DETERMINED BY THE AVERAGE BURN RATE OF TANKS #1 AND #3 (NOTE: #2 FUEL GAUGE PLACARDED INOP). I FIGURED THIS CONFIGN WOULD PERMIT ME TO DEAL WITH ANY SITUATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE XFEEDING BECAUSE I HAD AMPLE FUEL IN THE #2 TANK THAT WAS WELL ABOVE THE 2000 POUNDS LESS THAN TANKS #1 AND #3 LIMITATION. NEITHER THE FLT MANUAL OR THE MEL FOR #2 FUEL TANK INOP REQUIRE THE #2 TANK TO BE BURNED DOWN TO #1 AND #3 TANK LEVELS. THIS IS A RECOMMENDED TECHNIQUE BUT AS FAR AS I CAN DETERMINE NOT A REQUIREMENT. NO LIMITATION WAS BROKEN IN THIS SITUATION. I HAVE TALKED TO VARIOUS OTHER FLT CREW MEMBERS AND TO MEMBERS OF OUR SAFETY COMMISSION REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND I WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE UNDER OUR CARRIERS STANDARD OPERATING PROCS. I AM BRINGING THIS TO YOUR ATTN FOR ADVISORY PURPOSES.