A321
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Company Policy; MEL; Procedure
[I] was called by Scheduling to ferry aircraft from ZZZ to ZZZ1 [and] was unaware it was a maintenance ferry until arriving at aircraft. [I] was met by Maintenance and briefed on aircraft status. Aircraft had been written up inbound to ZZZ for center tank continuing to feed wing tanks after wing tanks were full causing fuel to vent overboard. Maintenance was unable to duplicate problem and wanted aircraft ferried to ZZZ1 for further testing. Aircraft was fueled with enough fuel in wing tanks to complete flight without needing to use center tank fuel.Conducted conference call with Dispatch and Maintenance [Manager on Duty - Maintenance Control]. This call confirmed 7;600 lbs. of fuel in center tank was not needed for flight and center tank pumps should be left off. ECAM message would come on when center tanks did not feed and to ignore ECAM message. Was briefed once wing tanks were low enough center tanks could be turned on if fuel was needed since there would not be enough fuel then to overfill wing tanks. Briefed FO (First Officer); completed preflight; left center tank pumps off; flew normal flight and landed with approximately 4;000 lbs in each wing tank; center tank pumps still off.[I] was used to having ballast fuel on previous aircraft for various reasons and did not think much about this; since [I] had enough fuel in wings and believed I could turn on wing tank pumps if needed fuel. After re-reading FOM 22.3.2 'Other than Normal Configuration;' I am not sure I should have operated this flight; if this was considered non-normal procedures. If this type of flying is authorized; FOM should be clarified as to what is NON-normal. Looking back any deviation from normal procedures I would consider NON-normal and IAW (In Accordance With) FOM should not be flown by line crews.
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A321 flight crew reported misgivings when advised to operate a ferry flight with many alternate or abnormal procedures required.