Narrative:

I would like to convey a recent situation which in my opinion did not promote aviation safety. On our flight we had an FAA safety inspector ride the jump seat. Both the captain and I are friendly and outgoing. This inspector however did nothing to promote a healthy relationship between this particular crew and the FAA. The FAA inspector was disrespectful and rude to both of us. When he arrived in the cockpit at departure time he simply threw our jump seat pass on the center console and thrust his identify in the captain's face. At no time did he indicate to us that this would be a safety line check. After our short flight (15 mins dca-bwi) he chastised me like I were a 'little child' saying, 'you're doing your checklist items from memory and not referring to your checklist appropriately for a part 121 operation. That does not impress me.' at the time I was so taken back by what he said and how he said it, I said nothing. Because I was, did, and do all checklists after completing my cockpit 'flows' as appropriate. Normally I enjoy a good discussion and respect constructive criticism concerning a flight with an FAA aviation safety inspector, this inspector and flight did nothing to promote a healthy air safety relationship between the FAA and these crew members.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR ACCUSED A CREW MEMBER OF IMPROPER CHKLIST USE DURING A LINE CHK.

Narrative: I WOULD LIKE TO CONVEY A RECENT SIT WHICH IN MY OPINION DID NOT PROMOTE AVIATION SAFETY. ON OUR FLT WE HAD AN FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR RIDE THE JUMP SEAT. BOTH THE CAPT AND I ARE FRIENDLY AND OUTGOING. THIS INSPECTOR HOWEVER DID NOTHING TO PROMOTE A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP BTWN THIS PARTICULAR CREW AND THE FAA. THE FAA INSPECTOR WAS DISRESPECTFUL AND RUDE TO BOTH OF US. WHEN HE ARRIVED IN THE COCKPIT AT DEP TIME HE SIMPLY THREW OUR JUMP SEAT PASS ON THE CTR CONSOLE AND THRUST HIS IDENT IN THE CAPT'S FACE. AT NO TIME DID HE INDICATE TO US THAT THIS WOULD BE A SAFETY LINE CHK. AFTER OUR SHORT FLT (15 MINS DCA-BWI) HE CHASTISED ME LIKE I WERE A 'LITTLE CHILD' SAYING, 'YOU'RE DOING YOUR CHKLIST ITEMS FROM MEMORY AND NOT REFERRING TO YOUR CHKLIST APPROPRIATELY FOR A PART 121 OP. THAT DOES NOT IMPRESS ME.' AT THE TIME I WAS SO TAKEN BACK BY WHAT HE SAID AND HOW HE SAID IT, I SAID NOTHING. BECAUSE I WAS, DID, AND DO ALL CHKLISTS AFTER COMPLETING MY COCKPIT 'FLOWS' AS APPROPRIATE. NORMALLY I ENJOY A GOOD DISCUSSION AND RESPECT CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM CONCERNING A FLT WITH AN FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR, THIS INSPECTOR AND FLT DID NOTHING TO PROMOTE A HEALTHY AIR SAFETY RELATIONSHIP BTWN THE FAA AND THESE CREW MEMBERS.

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.