Narrative:

Taxiing from gate at mccarran int'l, the captain was taxiing the aircraft and I was running the checklist and the radios. We had an FAA inspector in the jump seat for a routine inspection. The checklists were all accomplished except for the line items. Nothing was said except checklist items, responses, routine radio xmissions and takeoff briefings. As we were taxiing along the parallel I noticed what I assumed to be the t-birds practicing at nellis AFB. They were leaving smoke trails and appeared to be inside 10 NM from the airfield. At this time I said 'it looks like the t-birds are out today' pointing in that direction. The FAA inspector said 'this is a sterile cockpit'. Nothing else was said before or after this event except routine checklists and radios. After the flight the inspector said no problems except for the sterile cockpit rule. I feel the FAA needs to define what they mean by sterile cockpit. My definition includes comments to my crew about wind, WX, traffic, or potential traffic conflicts for normal and emergency operations. In this case either an engine out procedure or emergency landing at nellis would have meant we had a potential traffic conflict. I feel these type of comments build your situation awareness which is one thing the rule books can't do. I would think the FAA probably would agree with me. I do feel this approach by this inspector may have been done strictly to make a point, because of questions surrounding several recent accidents. However, this intimidating approach may actually lead to a more serious problem, no communication of critical facts. I feel if we are not careful this sterile cockpit rule, if enforced rigidly, may cause more human factor safety problems than it is meant to solve, after all what's a checklist for!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF ACR MLG WAS PERCEIVED TO HAVE VIOLATED THE STERILE COCKPIT CONCEPT WHEN THE FO OBSERVED THE THUNDERBIRDS PRACTICING AT NELLIS AFB AND ANNOUNCED 'THE THUNDERBIRDS ARE OUT TODAY'.

Narrative: TAXIING FROM GATE AT MCCARRAN INT'L, THE CAPT WAS TAXIING THE ACFT AND I WAS RUNNING THE CHECKLIST AND THE RADIOS. WE HAD AN FAA INSPECTOR IN THE JUMP SEAT FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION. THE CHECKLISTS WERE ALL ACCOMPLISHED EXCEPT FOR THE LINE ITEMS. NOTHING WAS SAID EXCEPT CHECKLIST ITEMS, RESPONSES, ROUTINE RADIO XMISSIONS AND TKOF BRIEFINGS. AS WE WERE TAXIING ALONG THE PARALLEL I NOTICED WHAT I ASSUMED TO BE THE T-BIRDS PRACTICING AT NELLIS AFB. THEY WERE LEAVING SMOKE TRAILS AND APPEARED TO BE INSIDE 10 NM FROM THE AIRFIELD. AT THIS TIME I SAID 'IT LOOKS LIKE THE T-BIRDS ARE OUT TODAY' POINTING IN THAT DIRECTION. THE FAA INSPECTOR SAID 'THIS IS A STERILE COCKPIT'. NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID BEFORE OR AFTER THIS EVENT EXCEPT ROUTINE CHECKLISTS AND RADIOS. AFTER THE FLT THE INSPECTOR SAID NO PROBLEMS EXCEPT FOR THE STERILE COCKPIT RULE. I FEEL THE FAA NEEDS TO DEFINE WHAT THEY MEAN BY STERILE COCKPIT. MY DEFINITION INCLUDES COMMENTS TO MY CREW ABOUT WIND, WX, TFC, OR POTENTIAL TFC CONFLICTS FOR NORMAL AND EMER OPERATIONS. IN THIS CASE EITHER AN ENGINE OUT PROC OR EMER LNDG AT NELLIS WOULD HAVE MEANT WE HAD A POTENTIAL TFC CONFLICT. I FEEL THESE TYPE OF COMMENTS BUILD YOUR SITUATION AWARENESS WHICH IS ONE THING THE RULE BOOKS CAN'T DO. I WOULD THINK THE FAA PROBABLY WOULD AGREE WITH ME. I DO FEEL THIS APCH BY THIS INSPECTOR MAY HAVE BEEN DONE STRICTLY TO MAKE A POINT, BECAUSE OF QUESTIONS SURROUNDING SEVERAL RECENT ACCIDENTS. HOWEVER, THIS INTIMIDATING APPROACH MAY ACTUALLY LEAD TO A MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM, NO COM OF CRITICAL FACTS. I FEEL IF WE ARE NOT CAREFUL THIS STERILE COCKPIT RULE, IF ENFORCED RIGIDLY, MAY CAUSE MORE HUMAN FACTOR SAFETY PROBLEMS THAN IT IS MEANT TO SOLVE, AFTER ALL WHAT'S A CHECKLIST FOR!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.