Date: 201201
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: A320
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Aircraft component: GPS & Other Satellite Navigation
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Situational Awareness
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Aircraft In Service At Gate
Result: Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Company Policy
Primary problem: Company Policy

Narrative: Was approached in flight operations by a fellow Captain who wanted to provide me information about the aircraft I was to fly. It seems there are several aircraft in the Airbus fleet that have GPS installed; BUT IT IS NOT CONNECTED. She discovered this one day by pushing the Data button on the FMC and looking at the GPS data on an aircraft in flight. The data displayed was not there; indicating no GPS. That was this aircraft. According to her; she spent considerable time talking with Dispatch and Maintenance Control. She filed a report with her concerns and discoveries. She was told a bulletin would perhaps be issued. After speaking with this Captain; I called Dispatch and Maintenance Control. I had a lengthy discussion with them about the issue. He said there was a prior Captain a couple weeks ago who brought up the same issue (probably the one I talked with). After much discussion and digging he also found that THE PRIOR NIGHT the GPS had been connected on my aircraft; so all the navigation systems were fully operational for my flight into Mexico. He indicated that the Airbus fleet put out the GPS guidance prematurely; with no definite plans to connect the GPS on several aircraft. I thanked him for his time; went to the aircraft in the International terminal; and pushed back late. Enroute I asked Maintenance Control to ACARS me the aircraft that do not have GPS connected. There are currently eight aircraft in this category. According to the Flight Manual and the Airbus fleet; all aircraft now have GPS. Accordingly; pilot procedures have changed in the Flight Manual to reflect this. For example; we no longer have to load a runway shift for an intersection takeoff. Also; we no longer are required to perform a Nav Accuracy Check prior to the approach and arrival: GPS is installed on all the aircraft. This situation raises some questions in my mind: It appears that the Company has been dispatching aircraft without GPS (installed but not connected) on many revenue flights; both domestically and into Mexico. For these flights; nowhere on the release; flight plan; maintenance history; etc.; is it documented that GPS is inoperative. The Captain is not informed of this inoperative equipment; yet signs the release. Is this legal per the FAR's? Pilots on these flights are conducting Normal Procedures per the FM that assume GPS is working on all Airbus aircraft. These flight crews have no idea that GPS is inoperative. Is this legal? --Maintenance Control responded via ACARS that the inoperative GPS wouldn't be on the flight plan; but if you were dispatched to an airport with only a GPS approach; dispatch would get you a different aircraft. However; we fly RNAV approaches on the line; and legally can do so. According to the FM; GPS is required for RNAV approaches. Have these aircraft flown RNAV approaches without an operative GPS? Maybe I am not informed or missing some information; but it appears that some questionable operations are being performed in the Airbus fleet. It would seem to me that when an aircraft is missing a key piece of navigational equipment; it should be properly documented and accounted for (CDL/MEL); with the crew being informed and following any 'Flight Crew' procedures per the MEL. This doesn't seem to be the case.




Synopsis: An A320 Captain discovered that although all of his Company's airbus aircraft have GPS installed; not all of the systems have been connected.  The Flight Manual does not reflect this and appropriate MEL actions are not being accomplished.