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In 2 instances bearded FAA personnel requested jumpseat and were advised of company policy of no beards in cockpit.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 186336 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199108 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : iad |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 126 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 186336 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 4090 |
| ASRS Report | 186335 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Upon arriving at my aircraft on my first flight of the day, I was greeted by a bearded FAA aviation safety inspector (air worthiness). He wanted to ride in the jumpseat on this flight. Just 6 days previously I had a bearded FAA air traffic controller request the jumpseat. In both instances I showed the men the paragraph entitled 'appearance requirements' from the subchapter entitled 'jumpseat authorization' of my company's flight operations manual. It reads in part: 'chin and facial whiskers may not be worn by jumpseat riders on... Aircraft.' the controller decided to dash off and shave and then rode cleanshaven in the jumpseat. The asi (aiw) elected not to shave but to perform an en route check of the flight attendants. I am aware also from my fom that 'an inspector of the FAA shall...be given free and uninterrupted access to the pilot compartment... While in performance of that duty.' however, I understood the 2 paragraphs taken together to mean that a FAA asi shall be given access to the pilot compartment provided he adheres to company appearance requirements. It is as inappropriate for an asi to request or insist on the jumpseat when he has a beard as it would be to show up for the jumpseat wearing a tank top, bermuda shorts, and sandals. I did not disallow an asi the jumpseat. I merely informed him that he would have to shave before riding the jumpseat.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: IN 2 INSTANCES BEARDED FAA PERSONNEL REQUESTED JUMPSEAT AND WERE ADVISED OF COMPANY POLICY OF NO BEARDS IN COCKPIT.
Narrative: UPON ARRIVING AT MY ACFT ON MY FIRST FLT OF THE DAY, I WAS GREETED BY A BEARDED FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR (AIR WORTHINESS). HE WANTED TO RIDE IN THE JUMPSEAT ON THIS FLT. JUST 6 DAYS PREVIOUSLY I HAD A BEARDED FAA AIR TFC CTLR REQUEST THE JUMPSEAT. IN BOTH INSTANCES I SHOWED THE MEN THE PARAGRAPH ENTITLED 'APPEARANCE REQUIREMENTS' FROM THE SUBCHAPTER ENTITLED 'JUMPSEAT AUTHORIZATION' OF MY COMPANY'S FLT OPS MANUAL. IT READS IN PART: 'CHIN AND FACIAL WHISKERS MAY NOT BE WORN BY JUMPSEAT RIDERS ON... ACFT.' THE CTLR DECIDED TO DASH OFF AND SHAVE AND THEN RODE CLEANSHAVEN IN THE JUMPSEAT. THE ASI (AIW) ELECTED NOT TO SHAVE BUT TO PERFORM AN ENRTE CHK OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS. I AM AWARE ALSO FROM MY FOM THAT 'AN INSPECTOR OF THE FAA SHALL...BE GIVEN FREE AND UNINTERRUPTED ACCESS TO THE PLT COMPARTMENT... WHILE IN PERFORMANCE OF THAT DUTY.' HOWEVER, I UNDERSTOOD THE 2 PARAGRAPHS TAKEN TOGETHER TO MEAN THAT A FAA ASI SHALL BE GIVEN ACCESS TO THE PLT COMPARTMENT PROVIDED HE ADHERES TO COMPANY APPEARANCE REQUIREMENTS. IT IS AS INAPPROPRIATE FOR AN ASI TO REQUEST OR INSIST ON THE JUMPSEAT WHEN HE HAS A BEARD AS IT WOULD BE TO SHOW UP FOR THE JUMPSEAT WEARING A TANK TOP, BERMUDA SHORTS, AND SANDALS. I DID NOT DISALLOW AN ASI THE JUMPSEAT. I MERELY INFORMED HIM THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO SHAVE BEFORE RIDING THE JUMPSEAT.
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.