A DC10-40 ON A REQUIRED ENG RUN AT SFO THE CREW QUESTIONS THE SAFETY OF OPERATING AT HIGH PWR ON A RUN-UP PAD FACING AN ACTIVE RWY.

Narrative

UPON TAXI OUT AND ENG START AT SFO ON SEP/XA/99 AT XA30; WE OBSERVED AN ERRATIC INDICATION OF N1 ON ENG #2. AFTER FOLLOWING PROCS AND TALKING TO OUR COMPANY DISPATCHERS AND MAINT PERSONNEL; WE DECIDED THAT WE MUST RETURN TO THE GATE TO HAVE THE PROB CORRECTED. THE DEFERRAL PROC REQUIRED AN ENG RUN-UP TO BE PERFORMED BY MAINT. MAINT INITIALLY OFFERED TO SIGN OFF THE LOGBOOK AND WE (THE CREW) COULD DO THE REQUIRED RUN-UP JUST TKOF; THEN GO IF EVERYTHING WAS OK. WE DECLINED BECAUSE WE FELT THE MEL STATED THAT RUN-UP WAS A MAINT FUNCTION AND IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO ACCOMPLISH SUCH. AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION; IT WAS DECIDED THAT WE WOULD TAXI OUT TO DO THE RUN-UP WITH THE MAINT PERSONNEL ON BOARD THEN RETURN TO THE GATE TO DROP THEM OFF BEFORE WE DEPARTED. IN THE INTEREST OF TIME; THE PAX WERE LEFT ON THE AIRPLANE FOR RUN-UP. THE RUN-UP WAS ACCOMPLISHED SAFELY AND THE FLT CONTINUED AS NORMAL. IN RETROSPECT; WE DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF REQUIRING ALL PAX TO DEPLANE BEFORE RUN-UPS IN THE FUTURE. ALSO; WE FELT LIKE THE RUN-UP PAD AT SFO SHOULD NOT FACE AN ACTIVE RWY IN THE EVENT OF AN UNSUSPECTED PARKING BRAKE FAILURE. WE TOOK APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS FOR SAFETY; BUT STILL FEEL LIKE THE RUN-UP PAD AT SFO COULD BE SAFER.