A B767-300 crew MEL'ed an inoperative Pack during taxi but a FAA procedure allowing Flight Crew MEL actions was not yet in place for the B767.
Synopsis
A B767-300 crew MEL'ed an inoperative Pack during taxi but a FAA procedure allowing Flight Crew MEL actions was not yet in place for the B767.
Narrative
After block out; we started engines and began to taxi out. As the First Officer; re engaged the PACKS; the right PACK begin flickering on and off which also resulted in an EICAS message coming on and off. During taxi; the Right Pack eventually stayed off. We have a new procedure here at the Air Carrier which allows us pilots to defer a maintenance item if it is an MEL item. It is a fairly new procedure that we never received training on. It was simply sent out in a bulletin by our Chief Pilot putting the procedure in place. I was not familiar with the procedure and I advised both the First Officer and Captain that I did not have the bulletin on me and if they were familiar. They advised that they were not and to contact Maintenance Control to see if it is indeed an item that we can defer and if we are able to do so. I called Dispatch who eventually conferenced in Maintenance Control. The Maintenance Controller advised that we are able to defer the item under the new procedures and proceeded to give us instruction on a couple of ways to try and reset the item and after no success; how to enter the item in the aircraft maintenance logbook. He eventually gave us his name to put on the log page. We then had the Dispatcher update our flight plan to reflect the change and gave us her name to place on the amended flight plan. We deferred the item according the Maintenance Controllers instructions and proceeded to depart with only one pack and no further irregularities. During the flight; the First Officer remembered he had the bulletin on his laptop and opened it up to review it. After reading the bulletin; we only then realized; that the bulletin was only valid for our company 757's and had not yet been approved for our company 767's; though the company was waiting on FAA approval for them. Had we had the bulletins in the cockpit; or had Company issued laptops that included these bulletins; we would have been able to catch this issue prior to taking off.
Second reporter narrative
On taxi out the flight called in to Dispatch that he had a pack issue. Dispatch placed the call to Maintenance Control; and I answered. I asked the Captain what his maintenance issue was; and he responded that his right pack was inoperative. I asked him if he could reset the pack; and he said he tried with no success. After the pack didn't reset; the Captain alluded to the fact that we are under the new MEL procedures and I said yes. He said that he was looking at MEL 21-51-1 and I said that I am looking at the same thing and that the MEL would work. The MEL reference was sent to Dispatch; and they agreed that the MEL could be used going for departure. The Captain and I went through the deferral process and the right air conditioning pack was deferred REF MEL 21-51-1; CI 21-04 with the restrictions that are assigned to that deferral. I called the arrival station and informed their maintenance that an aircraft was inbound with the right pack inoperative; and the issue must be addressed before departure. Upon arrival the Maintenance Technician; addressed the right pack issue; and corrective action was taken. The maintenance was signed off and the aircraft departed with no maintenance delay and no further maintenance issue.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.