Narrative:

During my preflight duties, I was approached by one of our gate agents who advised me that an FAA inspector wanted to fly in my jump seat. She asked if I would like to talk to him prior to him going out to aircraft. I said yes, so I could check his credentials and verify his employment. Since this took place on a sunday I could not reach anyone at his office to verify his employment status. I asked this individual questions about the FAA which he was unable to answer. Since I was very busy at the time and he could not answer my questions and I could not verify who he was, I told him he could not ride in the jumpseat. He told me his identify badge was all he needed. I told him my job was to protect the safety of my aircraft, the safety of my passenger and my crew. Since I could not verify who he was I told him he could situation in the back of the aircraft and do any inspections he wished, but he could not ride in the cockpit. After completing my preflight duties I was able to contact my dispatcher who was able to confirm this individual was with the FAA. With that I allowed the FAA inspector in the jump seat. My company procedures require the advanced notification to the captain before anyone may ride in the jump seat. With numerous hijackings taking place around the world today and the advanced security procedures being used at all airports, I find it unbelievable that the FAA claims that their identify badge is all they need to go around the airport and enter any area without being challenged to who they are, especially when they wish to situation inside the very nerve center of the aircraft. The FAA must devise a method to confirm the current employment status of any individual who wishes to ride in the cockpit. This method must allow easy access for flcs to use!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN ACR MLG ACFT QUESTIONED THE IDENT OF AN FAA INSPECTOR TO BOARD THE ACFT.

Narrative: DURING MY PREFLT DUTIES, I WAS APCHED BY ONE OF OUR GATE AGENTS WHO ADVISED ME THAT AN FAA INSPECTOR WANTED TO FLY IN MY JUMP SEAT. SHE ASKED IF I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO HIM PRIOR TO HIM GOING OUT TO ACFT. I SAID YES, SO I COULD CHK HIS CREDENTIALS AND VERIFY HIS EMPLOYMENT. SINCE THIS TOOK PLACE ON A SUNDAY I COULD NOT REACH ANYONE AT HIS OFFICE TO VERIFY HIS EMPLOYMENT STATUS. I ASKED THIS INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FAA WHICH HE WAS UNABLE TO ANSWER. SINCE I WAS VERY BUSY AT THE TIME AND HE COULD NOT ANSWER MY QUESTIONS AND I COULD NOT VERIFY WHO HE WAS, I TOLD HIM HE COULD NOT RIDE IN THE JUMPSEAT. HE TOLD ME HIS IDENT BADGE WAS ALL HE NEEDED. I TOLD HIM MY JOB WAS TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF MY ACFT, THE SAFETY OF MY PAX AND MY CREW. SINCE I COULD NOT VERIFY WHO HE WAS I TOLD HIM HE COULD SIT IN THE BACK OF THE ACFT AND DO ANY INSPECTIONS HE WISHED, BUT HE COULD NOT RIDE IN THE COCKPIT. AFTER COMPLETING MY PREFLT DUTIES I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT MY DISPATCHER WHO WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS WITH THE FAA. WITH THAT I ALLOWED THE FAA INSPECTOR IN THE JUMP SEAT. MY COMPANY PROCS REQUIRE THE ADVANCED NOTIFICATION TO THE CAPT BEFORE ANYONE MAY RIDE IN THE JUMP SEAT. WITH NUMEROUS HIJACKINGS TAKING PLACE AROUND THE WORLD TODAY AND THE ADVANCED SECURITY PROCS BEING USED AT ALL ARPTS, I FIND IT UNBELIEVABLE THAT THE FAA CLAIMS THAT THEIR IDENT BADGE IS ALL THEY NEED TO GO AROUND THE ARPT AND ENTER ANY AREA WITHOUT BEING CHALLENGED TO WHO THEY ARE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY WISH TO SIT INSIDE THE VERY NERVE CTR OF THE ACFT. THE FAA MUST DEVISE A METHOD TO CONFIRM THE CURRENT EMPLOYMENT STATUS OF ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO WISHES TO RIDE IN THE COCKPIT. THIS METHOD MUST ALLOW EASY ACCESS FOR FLCS TO USE!

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.