Narrative:

After takeoff from den, FAA examiner onboard began questioning so about safety belt/harness rules and company policy on setting takeoff thrust. So stated he did not understand his line of questions due to the fact he had been wearing his belt/harness since block out through takeoff. FAA stated that if seat belt is not tight on the waist, it is not securely fastened. He noted that the so had approximately 2-4 inches of free movement in his seat while setting takeoff thrust. FAA went on the state that this is an example of a company instituting a procedure which is unwise and one that puts most so's in jeopardy because few could set takeoff thrust if they were securely fastened in the seat. FAA stated no action would be taken against the crew and that in fact they had a very good flight and worked well together. Although the so did not disagree with the FAA on board, he still did not agree with his observation and interpretation. I feel a crew member can be properly secured with a belt/harness about him and still have some movement within his seat, and that the so was fastened properly in his seat and was not in any jeopardy while setting takeoff thrust. Finally, after the flight the FAA employee asked where he could get a copy of the bulletin authorizing so's to set takeoff thrust. During the flight he alluded to violating the company for having such a procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SO OF A HVT ACR ACFT DID NOT HAVE HIS SEAT BELT PROPERLY SECURED FOR TKOF.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM DEN, FAA EXAMINER ONBOARD BEGAN QUESTIONING SO ABOUT SAFETY BELT/HARNESS RULES AND COMPANY POLICY ON SETTING TKOF THRUST. SO STATED HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND HIS LINE OF QUESTIONS DUE TO THE FACT HE HAD BEEN WEARING HIS BELT/HARNESS SINCE BLOCK OUT THROUGH TKOF. FAA STATED THAT IF SEAT BELT IS NOT TIGHT ON THE WAIST, IT IS NOT SECURELY FASTENED. HE NOTED THAT THE SO HAD APPROX 2-4 INCHES OF FREE MOVEMENT IN HIS SEAT WHILE SETTING TKOF THRUST. FAA WENT ON THE STATE THAT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A COMPANY INSTITUTING A PROC WHICH IS UNWISE AND ONE THAT PUTS MOST SO'S IN JEOPARDY BECAUSE FEW COULD SET TKOF THRUST IF THEY WERE SECURELY FASTENED IN THE SEAT. FAA STATED NO ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST THE CREW AND THAT IN FACT THEY HAD A VERY GOOD FLT AND WORKED WELL TOGETHER. ALTHOUGH THE SO DID NOT DISAGREE WITH THE FAA ON BOARD, HE STILL DID NOT AGREE WITH HIS OBSERVATION AND INTERP. I FEEL A CREW MEMBER CAN BE PROPERLY SECURED WITH A BELT/HARNESS ABOUT HIM AND STILL HAVE SOME MOVEMENT WITHIN HIS SEAT, AND THAT THE SO WAS FASTENED PROPERLY IN HIS SEAT AND WAS NOT IN ANY JEOPARDY WHILE SETTING TKOF THRUST. FINALLY, AFTER THE FLT THE FAA EMPLOYEE ASKED WHERE HE COULD GET A COPY OF THE BULLETIN AUTHORIZING SO'S TO SET TKOF THRUST. DURING THE FLT HE ALLUDED TO VIOLATING THE COMPANY FOR HAVING SUCH A PROC.

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.