Passenger on long flight threatened to write to FAA regarding flight crew visits to the blue room.

Attributes
ACN	195639
Time
Date	199111
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hln
State Reference	MT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	195639
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

As crew (ord-yvr), we were scheduled for flight time of 4:14. Midway through the flight, and consistent with FARS and regulations, each of us opted, at separate times, to leave the flight deck for reasons of physiological comfort and alertness. At no time was any crew member off the flight deck for more than 5 mins. The captain left the cockpit twice during the flight, and the first officer and so once each. All sorties were during cruise at FL350 or FL370, with no turbulence or meteorological concerns. A first class passenger, claiming to be an accident investigator, remarked to the first flight attendant that he was writing to the FAA to report crew leaving their stations excessively during the flight. When advised of this, the captain, proceeded back to the cabin to explain the regulations concerning fatigue, relief, etc. The passenger staunchly insisted that we were in violation of FARS and he was reporting the incident to the FAA. Pressure to keep crews in cockpits during long, uneventful flts jeopardizes safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PAX ON LONG FLT THREATENED TO WRITE TO FAA REGARDING FLC VISITS TO THE BLUE ROOM.

Narrative: AS CREW (ORD-YVR), WE WERE SCHEDULED FOR FLT TIME OF 4:14. MIDWAY THROUGH THE FLT, AND CONSISTENT WITH FARS AND REGS, EACH OF US OPTED, AT SEPARATE TIMES, TO LEAVE THE FLT DECK FOR REASONS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL COMFORT AND ALERTNESS. AT NO TIME WAS ANY CREW MEMBER OFF THE FLT DECK FOR MORE THAN 5 MINS. THE CAPT LEFT THE COCKPIT TWICE DURING THE FLT, AND THE FO AND SO ONCE EACH. ALL SORTIES WERE DURING CRUISE AT FL350 OR FL370, WITH NO TURB OR METEOROLOGICAL CONCERNS. A FIRST CLASS PAX, CLAIMING TO BE AN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR, REMARKED TO THE FIRST FLT ATTENDANT THAT HE WAS WRITING TO THE FAA TO RPT CREW LEAVING THEIR STATIONS EXCESSIVELY DURING THE FLT. WHEN ADVISED OF THIS, THE CAPT, PROCEEDED BACK TO THE CABIN TO EXPLAIN THE REGS CONCERNING FATIGUE, RELIEF, ETC. THE PAX STAUNCHLY INSISTED THAT WE WERE IN VIOLATION OF FARS AND HE WAS RPTING THE INCIDENT TO THE FAA. PRESSURE TO KEEP CREWS IN COCKPITS DURING LONG, UNEVENTFUL FLTS JEOPARDIZES SAFETY.

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.