Narrative:

The situation as it developed on this flight involved the presence of an FAA regional maintenance inspector performing an en route check of the flight crew during a trip segment from sea to anc. The inspector demonstrated an authoritarian air and created a heightened level of anxiety for the flight crew and the cabin crew. In 27 yrs airline experience receiving and conducting countless line checks, I have never observed an individual conduct a line check which resulted in so much distraction to the crew. Examples: conducted an en route check with the same cabin crew on their inbound segment resulting in concerns by them about his methods of questioning them about airplane equipment and procedures. While performing SOP cockpit duties the flight crew was interrupted in their flow by the inspector for such things as examination of licenses and medical certificates, the absence of life vests in seat back pockets, maintenance status of the aircraft and even a request to demonstrate opening of a cockpit window. A minor discrepancy in the captain's aircraft manual was, I believe, blown out of proportion. This discrepancy involved an inadvertent lapse in revision to the manual, however the same manuals in possession of the first officer were current. My concern is that an individual designated to conduct inspections of this nature should be very well trained and at all times be cognizant of the possible undesirable effects his actions might have on crew members during the conduct of the flight. I believe these observations reflect the perceptions of the entire cabin crew and the flight crew.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN LGT ACR ACFT WAS FOUND TO NOT HAVE A CURRENT COMPANY OPS MANUAL DURING AN ENRTE INSPECTION BY AN FAA MAINT INSPECTOR.

Narrative: THE SIT AS IT DEVELOPED ON THIS FLT INVOLVED THE PRESENCE OF AN FAA REGIONAL MAINT INSPECTOR PERFORMING AN ENRTE CHK OF THE FLC DURING A TRIP SEGMENT FROM SEA TO ANC. THE INSPECTOR DEMONSTRATED AN AUTHORITARIAN AIR AND CREATED A HEIGHTENED LEVEL OF ANXIETY FOR THE FLC AND THE CABIN CREW. IN 27 YRS AIRLINE EXPERIENCE RECEIVING AND CONDUCTING COUNTLESS LINE CHKS, I HAVE NEVER OBSERVED AN INDIVIDUAL CONDUCT A LINE CHK WHICH RESULTED IN SO MUCH DISTR TO THE CREW. EXAMPLES: CONDUCTED AN ENRTE CHK WITH THE SAME CABIN CREW ON THEIR INBOUND SEGMENT RESULTING IN CONCERNS BY THEM ABOUT HIS METHODS OF QUESTIONING THEM ABOUT AIRPLANE EQUIP AND PROCS. WHILE PERFORMING SOP COCKPIT DUTIES THE FLC WAS INTERRUPTED IN THEIR FLOW BY THE INSPECTOR FOR SUCH THINGS AS EXAMINATION OF LICENSES AND MEDICAL CERTIFICATES, THE ABSENCE OF LIFE VESTS IN SEAT BACK POCKETS, MAINT STATUS OF THE ACFT AND EVEN A REQUEST TO DEMONSTRATE OPENING OF A COCKPIT WINDOW. A MINOR DISCREPANCY IN THE CAPT'S ACFT MANUAL WAS, I BELIEVE, BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION. THIS DISCREPANCY INVOLVED AN INADVERTENT LAPSE IN REVISION TO THE MANUAL, HOWEVER THE SAME MANUALS IN POSSESSION OF THE FO WERE CURRENT. MY CONCERN IS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL DESIGNATED TO CONDUCT INSPECTIONS OF THIS NATURE SHOULD BE VERY WELL TRAINED AND AT ALL TIMES BE COGNIZANT OF THE POSSIBLE UNDESIRABLE EFFECTS HIS ACTIONS MIGHT HAVE ON CREW MEMBERS DURING THE CONDUCT OF THE FLT. I BELIEVE THESE OBSERVATIONS REFLECT THE PERCEPTIONS OF THE ENTIRE CABIN CREW AND THE FLC.

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.