A320
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 250; Flight Crew Total 16500; Flight Crew Type 10500
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Procedure; Company Policy; Human Factors
I was preflighting the aircraft and as I was preparing to load the datalink FMGC data; I noticed that the IRU's and the FMGC had already been partially loaded; and that the load was incorrect. I was kind of surprised; as I had seen that the aircraft had flown in the night prior and it was the first flight of the day. I suspected that the aircraft had been moved from the A to the C concourse. Normally; when Maintenance moves an aircraft; they load the city it is in; into the FMGC. Our aircraft was loaded as if someone was attempting to load the navigation systems for the flight. I called operations to see if they knew who had been loading the systems. Maintenance came on the frequency and said they had done it; that they have been doing it for many years; and that I was the first pilot that had had an issue with it. They said their procedure was to do all their maintenance checks; start the APU; and align the IRU's [by entering the four letter airport ID into the FMGC] (which was not what they had done; as already mentioned.). When the Captain entered the flight deck after getting the flight papers in operations; I explained the issue to him. He contacted Maintenance and was also told by the Maintenance Controller that it was part of their normal checklist; and repeated the same things to the Captain as he had told me. Over the last number of months; the Airbus fleet has developed a very specific order to properly datalink the route load into the ACARS; FMGC's and the IRU's. What had been accomplished by Maintenance was not correct and it required a good deal of time to remove the bad load and reinitialize the system. Considering that report times have been reduced; it takes a very concentrated effort to preflight the aircraft and get it ready on time; and the actions by Maintenance wasted a good deal of time we needed to get the aircraft ready. What are the qualifications of Maintenance; or of Ramp Personnel; to be manipulating the controls of our aircraft navigation systems?  I can understand Maintenance needing to turn on the IRU's or load the airport in the FMGC to reposition the aircraft; but that is a very narrow need to operate the systems that provide all of the navigation capability while airborne. When they finish their operational need; the navigation systems should be secured. ANY OTHER OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT'S NAVIGATION SYSTEMS BY UNQUALIFIED PERSONNEL PRIOR TO FLIGHT IS UNSAFE TAMPERING. We also dealt with this issue on the first leg of this trip pairing; three days prior. The Captain and I entered the flight deck to prepare for the flight. As we were stowing our bags and doing the flight deck check; a ramp worker came onto the flight deck and without discussing anything with us; reached up and turned the IRU's on. It appeared he was about to accomplish additional things there; but I asked him what he was doing. He replied that it was a STAR flight and he was getting it ready so we would get an on-time push. I said we would get it done; and he exited the flight deck.  What is going on at this corporation?  Twice in one trip we dealt with unqualified personnel attempting to operate systems they shouldn't be touching. I can understand starting an APU to cool/heat an aircraft or to get power on the aircraft...the APU is protected by automatic safety features. But for someone to interfere with the navigational systems of an aircraft where we don't know what they are doing to it is very; very dangerous. If the supervisors who are directing this think they are saving time; they are wrong. They are hindering the operation by wasting the time of the flight crews trying to get an aircraft prepared for departure. Furthermore; they are jeopardizing the safety of the passengers and crew.
On arrival to aircraft we found IRU's aligned and ramp worker throwing switches in cockpit to; according to him; 'help the pilots not incur a delay on the first flight of the day'. So now the company is having ground personnel try to get the aircraft ready for flight by non flight qualified personnel. Almost all of it has to be erased and started over to insure it was done correctly for flight.
A320 flight crew reports maintenance personnel doing preflight items to the FMGC's and IRU's prior to crew arrival at the aircraft to 'help' the flight get out on time.