Narrative:

Mr X, bru air carrier inspector (FAA), presented himself to me in the cockpit while boarding passenger with the desire to observe on flight bru-iad. I suggested that he occupy jumpseat behind me for first 30 mins of flight, as my relief first officer needed access to radios for SELCAL check, tracking message and oceanic clearance. Mr X indicated that FAA and air carrier refer to B767 as 2 man aircraft and that he wanted center swivel jumpseat. I requested that if he would occupy left jumpseat for just 30 mins that he could move to center seat for remainder of flight. He responded that he was not going with us after all and would like to check our licenses before departing. We complied, he departed aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 313860: company SOP for the relief first officer to perform certain duties after takeoff, including obtaining the oceanic clearance, which cannot be done from the second observer seat as it is not possible to transmit from that position. The time from takeoff until we were to 'coast out' was short. Callback conversation with reporter of acn #313860 revealed the following information: the reporter was flying as relief first officer on the B767-300. The captain got an loi from the bru FSDO inviting him to a hearing in bru. On the advice of his air carrier and pilot union, he declined. Another hearing has been scheduled for ny. The reporter's chief pilot met the crew and immediately reminded them of far 121.581 which gives the forward observer's seat to the administrator. The reporter said that the aci left the cockpit, then returned and looked only at the captain's licenses and rejected the chance to look at the other crew person's paperwork. The station agent was quite concerned over how enraged the aci was out in the jetway. The reporter's air carrier is taking the position that, as the flight time is over 8 hours, this is a 3 man aircraft by FARS and the relief first officer has duties that require him/her in the forward observer's seat. Neither the reporter or the other first officer has received an loi from the FAA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACI WAS REFUSED THE FORWARD OBSERVER'S SEAT.

Narrative: MR X, BRU ACR INSPECTOR (FAA), PRESENTED HIMSELF TO ME IN THE COCKPIT WHILE BOARDING PAX WITH THE DESIRE TO OBSERVE ON FLT BRU-IAD. I SUGGESTED THAT HE OCCUPY JUMPSEAT BEHIND ME FOR FIRST 30 MINS OF FLT, AS MY RELIEF FO NEEDED ACCESS TO RADIOS FOR SELCAL CHK, TRACKING MESSAGE AND OCEANIC CLRNC. MR X INDICATED THAT FAA AND ACR REFER TO B767 AS 2 MAN ACFT AND THAT HE WANTED CTR SWIVEL JUMPSEAT. I REQUESTED THAT IF HE WOULD OCCUPY L JUMPSEAT FOR JUST 30 MINS THAT HE COULD MOVE TO CTR SEAT FOR REMAINDER OF FLT. HE RESPONDED THAT HE WAS NOT GOING WITH US AFTER ALL AND WOULD LIKE TO CHK OUR LICENSES BEFORE DEPARTING. WE COMPLIED, HE DEPARTED ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 313860: COMPANY SOP FOR THE RELIEF FO TO PERFORM CERTAIN DUTIES AFTER TKOF, INCLUDING OBTAINING THE OCEANIC CLRNC, WHICH CANNOT BE DONE FROM THE SECOND OBSERVER SEAT AS IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO XMIT FROM THAT POS. THE TIME FROM TKOF UNTIL WE WERE TO 'COAST OUT' WAS SHORT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR OF ACN #313860 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING AS RELIEF FO ON THE B767-300. THE CAPT GOT AN LOI FROM THE BRU FSDO INVITING HIM TO A HEARING IN BRU. ON THE ADVICE OF HIS ACR AND PLT UNION, HE DECLINED. ANOTHER HEARING HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR NY. THE RPTR'S CHIEF PLT MET THE CREW AND IMMEDIATELY REMINDED THEM OF FAR 121.581 WHICH GIVES THE FORWARD OBSERVER'S SEAT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THE RPTR SAID THAT THE ACI LEFT THE COCKPIT, THEN RETURNED AND LOOKED ONLY AT THE CAPT'S LICENSES AND REJECTED THE CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE OTHER CREW PERSON'S PAPERWORK. THE STATION AGENT WAS QUITE CONCERNED OVER HOW ENRAGED THE ACI WAS OUT IN THE JETWAY. THE RPTR'S ACR IS TAKING THE POS THAT, AS THE FLT TIME IS OVER 8 HRS, THIS IS A 3 MAN ACFT BY FARS AND THE RELIEF FO HAS DUTIES THAT REQUIRE HIM/HER IN THE FORWARD OBSERVER'S SEAT. NEITHER THE RPTR OR THE OTHER FO HAS RECEIVED AN LOI FROM THE FAA.

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.