SERVICE LETTER

Commercial
Aviation
Services SERVICE ENGINEERING • BOEING COMMERCIAL AIRPLANES • P.O. BOX 3707 • SEATTLE • WASHINGTON 98124-2207

777-SL-28-006-B
ATA: 2841-00
16 January 2003

SUBJECT: FLUCTUATING FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION

MODEL: 777 Series

APPLICABILITY: All 777 Airplanes Line Positions 1-316

REFERENCE (S): a) Service Bulletin 777-28-0023, dated 1 March 2001.

b) Operations Manual Bulletin - 777 FQIS Fluctuations, dated
12 January 1999.
SUMMARY:
This service letter provides 777 operators with recommendations regarding corrective action for
addressing fluctuating fuel quantity indications that can result in the FUEL IMBALANCE
advisory message in flight.

BACKGROUND:
Operators have reported occurrences of fluctuating fuel quantity indication in flight, resulting in
display of the FUEL IMBALANCE advisory message. This condition leads flight crews to
perform the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) non-normal procedures for a fuel imbalance
condition. However, the fluctuating readings usually correct themselves during the flight,
resulting in additional crew action due to their earlier efforts to correct the apparent imbalance.
Post flight troubleshooting and interrogation of the Maintenance Access Terminal (MAT) often
provide no indication of a system fault.

QAR data and EICAS fuel quantity maintenance page snapshots provided by operators have
revealed that the fluctuating indications are being caused by erroneously low tank unit fuel height
measurements. An indicated fuel imbalance will occur when certain tank units in one main tank
are reading lower than units in the other tank. The average fuel quantity indication differences
between the left and right main tanks have been approximately 3000 lbs (1400 kgs), but have been
noted to be as large as 10,000 lbs (4500 kgs). The wing tank units that appear to have the
greatest impact are numbers 8, 9 and 10. In addition, Boeing received one report of center tank
quantity dropping by 16,000 lbs (7300 kgs) and recovering during cruise. It should be noted that
the fault always results in a low fuel quantity indication, not high.
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16 January 2003
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This condition occurs to a greater extent on long range flights when airplanes are carrying a large
fuel load and large payload. The data received to date indicate that the fluctuating indications
occur primarily in cruise when the fuel quantity exceeds 80,000 lbs (36,000 kgs). The fluctuating
indications can be a single occurrence, which corrects itself within several minutes, or multiple
events throughout the flight. This condition also results in a difference between the totalizer and
calculated fuel quantity indications on the FMC PROGRESS page 2/2.
Boeing and Smiths Industries have investigated this issue and gathered both in-service and test
data to establish a root cause. The root cause has been determined to be air bubbles in the tank
units that can form due to certain vibration and temperature conditions. In addition, minute ice
crystals that can form from water content in the fuel have also been identified as a potential cause.
The ultrasonic signal of the tank unit will reflect off these particles and provide an erroneously
low fuel height reading.
No further reports of this problem have been received concerning airplanes that have incorporated
the FQPU software identified in the reference a) service bulletin.

BOEING ACTION:
Boeing released the reference b) Operations Manual Bulletin, which informs flight crews of this
issue and provides instructions on how to identify the condition in flight.
In addition, Boeing released the reference a) service bulletin and revised the fault isolation manual
(FIM) to include the information contained in the first paragraph of the suggested operator action
below.

SUPPLIER ACTION:
Smiths Industries released new FQPU software P/N 2867-S1B-230-04 that is incorporated via the
reference a) Boeing service bulletin. This software revision contains all the latest features to
address the subject problem:

1. The use of a "statistical filter" which allows the system to differentiate between actual fuel
height return signals and the signal reflecting off air bubbles, ice crystals, or other surfaces.

2. The use of an independent "max volume" algorithm, which uses fuel height from the two
highest reading probes in conjunction with ADIRU airplane acceleration data to calculate
fuel volume.

3. An increase in the threshold for the FUEL IMBALANCE message on EICAS. The
threshold changes the Fuel Imbalance Limit from 2000 lbs to 3000 lbs for total main fuel
tank quantities greater than or equal to 111,000 lbs on 777-200 airplanes, and 114,000 lbs
on 777-200ER (Extended Range) and 777-300 airplanes.
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16 January 2003
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SUGGESTED OPERATOR ACTION:

Boeing recommends operators accomplish troubleshooting per the appropriate fault isolation
manual procedures if fluctuating fuel quantity indication occurred and an associated (active or
inactive) maintenance message is displayed regarding a tank unit fault. Boeing also recommends
operators incorporate the reference a) service bulletin to address fluctuating fuel quantity
indications that can be caused by the conditions identified in this service letter.

WARRANTY INFORMATION:
Boeing warranty remedies are not available for the configuration changes discussed in this service
letter.

Keith W. Leverkuhn
777 Fleet Support Chief
TRW:vgs
Original: Dated: 9 December 1998
Revision A: Dated: 4 February 1999, added information in the Background, Boeing Action, and
Suggested Operator Action sections.
Revision B: Revised to completely rewritten to reflect current status and available corrective
action.
Revision C: Extensively rewritten to reflect current status and available corrective action.