An ongoing and never ending string of MEL's dealing with the left outer tank shutting off early during fueling.
To the best of my knowledge, there was a probe connection modification on the #11 probe done at the factory before delivery. (Was it done on both sides???? I don't know.) This modification left these set of aircraft with different total tank capacitance values between the wings. The left being lower.
Normal shut-off for a A300-600 outer tank is approximately 8.2K. On the UPS birds, the left outer shuts off around 7.9K.
This Is Normal!!!
From
ERS 16-03790
the capacitance readings for the outer tanks on these aircraft have a split of just over 3pF. This split will double as the probe is covered in fuel. It is exactly this split (left being lower) that is causing all this confusion.
From page 512 of the ERS showing total tank, never wet capacitance,
previously wet (unless from shop - almost all), and tolerance for the left and right wings and probes.
Outer Tank LH Wing
Total Probes 192.14
193.55 ± 2.35
Compensator (660QT) 26.65 26.85 ± 0.75
Probe 7 (632QT) 22.80 23.00 ± 0.72
Probe 8 (633QT) 40.00 40.26 ± 0.88
Probe 9 (634QT) 50.41 50.71 ± 0.97
Probe 10 (635QT) 33.58 33.83 ± 0.82
Probe 11 (636QT1) LH 25.25
25.45 ± 0.77
Probe 12 (637QT) 20.10 20.30 ± 0.70
Outer Tank RH Wing
Total Probes 195.70
197.16 ± 2.35
Compensator (660QT) 26.65 26.85 ± 0.75
Probe 7 (632QT) 22.80 23.00 ± 0.72
Probe 8 (633QT) 40.00 40.26 ± 0.88
Probe 9 (634QT) 50.41 50.71 ± 0.97
Probe 10 (635QT) 33.58 33.83 ± 0.82
Probe 11 (636QT2) RH 28.81
29.06 ± 0.77
Probe 12 (637QT) 20.10 20.30 ± 0.70
We've been balancing the wings (shutting off the right outer at 7.9K). The yoke actuators don't care as long as they see a balance.
We're talking 300 pounds here. 7.9 vs 8.2
Recognize the issue...... account for it...... and kick it out of town.
