AN MD80 TECHNICIAN WANTS CLARIFICATION ON DEFERRING A DIGITAL FLT DATA RECORDER WITH ITS 3 DAY LIMIT.

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ALL FLEETS ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE THE DIGITAL FLT DATA RECORDER PLACARDED INOP FOR A PERIOD OF 3 DAYS. THERE ARE CERTAIN RESTRS THAT MUST BE MET PRIOR TO MAINT OPS ISSUING A PLACARD ON THE SYS. CERTAIN STATIONS ARE DESIGNATED WHERE A FIX MUST BE ATTEMPTED PRIOR TO THE PLACARD BEING ISSUED. ONE OF THE PROVISIONS IS 'REPAIR WAS ATTEMPTED BUT NOT SUCCESSFUL.' USING THE MD80 AS AN EXAMPLE; IF NO PART IS IN STOCK; AND THE ACFT IS ZZZ ON A THROUGH FLT; NO REPAIR CAN BE ATTEMPTED; THEN ACCORDING TO THE MEL; THE ACFT IS IN A 'NO FIX; NO FLY' CONDITION AND NO PLACARD CAN BE ISSUED. OR IF THE SYS HAS A FAULT OTHER THAN A LINE REPLACEMENT UNIT; IS A PART REPLACED TO MEET THE GUIDANCE OF THE MEL? ACFT HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM SVC ON A THROUGH FLT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THIS MEL IS INTERPED. IF THE PLACARD IS ISSUED; WHICH IS A 3 DAY PLACARD; THE ACFT SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE IN THIS CONDITION AND NOT BE TAKEN OTS BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS MENTIONED IN THE MEL. ATTEMPTS TO MAKE A REPAIR CAN BE ONGOING DURING THAT 3 DAY PERIOD.