Narrative:

I came back from break and off the corner of my eye I see this chord dangling out from the overhead escape latch cover?I immediately asked my flying first officer if she knew what it was; as she just came back from break? She did not know.I ran through the possible things it could be; loose wire; an explosive wire to a detonator?I opened the panel; I had no idea what it was and immediately called the two international relief officer's (international relief officers) to ask if they knew? One international relief officer admitted he placed that there; and said it was a GPS (global positioning system) device; he had been shown by another captain; to be used with ipad. I told him this was prohibited and advised him not to do this. I was also very clear in the pre-departure briefing on the use of electronics in the cockpit.fom addresses far 121.542; but that does not address any jury rigging; removing panels; attaching electronics to overhead emergency exit door.he; as others; interpret fom as allowing them to use the GPS.if this is permitted; then it should be clearly noted in the fom. If it is not then the fom needs to have updated language to clearly spell out it is prohibited to remove overhead emergency exit panel to attach a GPS to ceiling by door; have wiring throughout cockpit; router use in cockpit; and any other creative electronic modification or use that is not authorized or approved and often without captain approval.crews need to be made aware that personal electronics used for flight:- may not be technical standard order approved- have not been approved into company specs- the battery can pose a risk; especially placed in a tight area; concealed.certainly pulling the overhead panel will also wear the panels tight fit and become loose. Are routers; GPS and whatever other electronic devices in violation of what is approved and could there be interference with the myriad airplane systems on the X aircraft type; an electronic airplane?

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Captain discovered unauthorized device in cockpit inflight.

Narrative: I came back from break and off the corner of my eye I see this chord dangling out from the Overhead Escape latch cover?I immediately asked my flying FO if she knew what it was; as she just came back from break? She did not know.I ran through the possible things it could be; loose wire; an explosive wire to a detonator?I opened the Panel; I had no idea what it was and immediately called the two IRO's (International Relief Officers) to ask if they knew? One IRO admitted he placed that there; and said it was a GPS (Global Positioning System) device; he had been shown by another Captain; to be used with iPad. I told him this was PROHIBITED and Advised him not to do this. I was also very clear in the Pre-Departure Briefing on the use of Electronics in the cockpit.FOM addresses FAR 121.542; But that does NOT address any jury rigging; removing panels; attaching electronics to Overhead Emergency Exit Door.He; as others; interpret FOM as allowing them to use the GPS.If this is Permitted; then it should be Clearly noted in the FOM. If it is not then the FOM needs to have UPDATED language to CLEARLY spell out it is PROHIBITED to remove Overhead Emergency Exit Panel to attach a GPS to ceiling by Door; have Wiring Throughout cockpit; router use in cockpit; and any other creative Electronic modification or use that is not Authorized or Approved and often without Captain Approval.Crews need to be made aware that Personal Electronics Used for Flight:- May not be technical standard order approved- Have not been Approved into company specs- The Battery can pose a risk; especially placed in a tight area; concealed.Certainly pulling the Overhead Panel will also wear the Panels tight fit and become loose. Are routers; GPS and whatever other Electronic Devices in violation of what is approved and could there be Interference with the myriad Airplane Systems on the X aircraft type; an Electronic Airplane?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.