Narrative:

We (pilots) were waiting for passengers to be boarded. An elderly gentlmen and camera crew came to the cockpit and said that they were hired by the airline to make a series of video tapes, for employee familiarization classes. He asked to film the flight deck in flight conditions to supplement the video familiarizations for the employeees to see. We (pilots) knew about this company that the airline hired. So I decided to let the cameraman ride the jumpseat for the entire flight from hnl to lih (20 min). He filmed us starting engines and performing checklists during the flight. We were never distraction and we forgot he was there. After the flight was over, the cameraman and crew were very thankful and delighted. However, at the end of the flight I felt as if I did the wrong thing by letting a cameraman ride the jumpseat with people on board. When the passengers (about 20 to 30) were deplaning, the F/a's advised me that one of them said that he was going to write a letter to the FAA, that we let a cameraman ride the jumpseat and he didn't like that. Under part 121.547A it basically states that the PIC has the authority/authorized to allow who he wants to ride the jumpseat. Also 121.547B says an employee or anyone hired by the company can ride the jumpseat. Not once during the flight did I feel like I was being distraction or endangering any lives. Why do pilots have to be intimidated by people like this for letting a cameraman or any person ride the jumpseat. I believe the PIC should have the authority/authorized to let who ever he feels like ride the jumpseat, granted that person is responsible and in good character and fully able-bodied. I wonder if some of this intimidation could be curtailed on the decisions we make.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PAX COMPLAINS OF FLT CREW ALLOWING A COMPANY-CONTRACTED CAMERAMAN RIDE IN THE JUMPSEAT OF MLG DEPARTING HNL.

Narrative: WE (PLTS) WERE WAITING FOR PAXS TO BE BOARDED. AN ELDERLY GENTLMEN AND CAMERA CREW CAME TO THE COCKPIT AND SAID THAT THEY WERE HIRED BY THE AIRLINE TO MAKE A SERIES OF VIDEO TAPES, FOR EMPLOYEE FAMILIARIZATION CLASSES. HE ASKED TO FILM THE FLT DECK IN FLT CONDITIONS TO SUPPLEMENT THE VIDEO FAMILIARIZATIONS FOR THE EMPLOYEEES TO SEE. WE (PLTS) KNEW ABOUT THIS COMPANY THAT THE AIRLINE HIRED. SO I DECIDED TO LET THE CAMERAMAN RIDE THE JUMPSEAT FOR THE ENTIRE FLT FROM HNL TO LIH (20 MIN). HE FILMED US STARTING ENGS AND PERFORMING CHKLISTS DURING THE FLT. WE WERE NEVER DISTR AND WE FORGOT HE WAS THERE. AFTER THE FLT WAS OVER, THE CAMERAMAN AND CREW WERE VERY THANKFUL AND DELIGHTED. HOWEVER, AT THE END OF THE FLT I FELT AS IF I DID THE WRONG THING BY LETTING A CAMERAMAN RIDE THE JUMPSEAT WITH PEOPLE ON BOARD. WHEN THE PAXS (ABOUT 20 TO 30) WERE DEPLANING, THE F/A'S ADVISED ME THAT ONE OF THEM SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE FAA, THAT WE LET A CAMERAMAN RIDE THE JUMPSEAT AND HE DIDN'T LIKE THAT. UNDER PART 121.547A IT BASICALLY STATES THAT THE PIC HAS THE AUTH TO ALLOW WHO HE WANTS TO RIDE THE JUMPSEAT. ALSO 121.547B SAYS AN EMPLOYEE OR ANYONE HIRED BY THE COMPANY CAN RIDE THE JUMPSEAT. NOT ONCE DURING THE FLT DID I FEEL LIKE I WAS BEING DISTR OR ENDANGERING ANY LIVES. WHY DO PLTS HAVE TO BE INTIMIDATED BY PEOPLE LIKE THIS FOR LETTING A CAMERAMAN OR ANY PERSON RIDE THE JUMPSEAT. I BELIEVE THE PIC SHOULD HAVE THE AUTH TO LET WHO EVER HE FEELS LIKE RIDE THE JUMPSEAT, GRANTED THAT PERSON IS RESPONSIBLE AND IN GOOD CHARACTER AND FULLY ABLE-BODIED. I WONDER IF SOME OF THIS INTIMIDATION COULD BE CURTAILED ON THE DECISIONS WE MAKE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.