COMMUTER ACFT WITH ACR INSPECTOR ABOARD HAS FAULTY CONNECTOR 'Y' TO THE THIRD HEADSET FOR INSPECTOR. CONTINUED FLT AT INSPECTOR'S REQUEST; EXCHANGED CONNECTORS AT NEXT STOP. ACI IS GOING TO WRITE A VIOLATION AS NO LOGBOOK ENTRY OR MAINT SIGN-OFF.

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DURING AN FAA FLT CHK; THE 'Y' CONNECTOR EXTENSION CORD (RADIO SHACK PART) WHICH IS NEEDED ON OUR ACFT FOR THE FAA TO MONITOR RADIO AND INTERCOM CALLS BECAUSE THERE IS NO SPARE HEADPHONE JACK; FAILED. THIS CORD FAILED BEFORE TKOF AND THE FAA INSPECTOR GAVE THE GO-AHEAD TO CONTINUE THE FLT; WHICH WE DID. WE COULD SENSE THAT SHE; THE INSPECTOR; WAS A LITTLE 'PUT OUT' THAT SHE COULDN'T BE A PART OF THE 'CREW.' AFTER ENG SHUTDOWN; MAINT WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY REPLACED THE EXTENSION CORD. NOW; 1 DAY LATER; WE FIND OUT THAT THE INSPECTOR IS UPSET AND THREATENING A VIOLATION OF BOTH THE PLTS AND MECH BECAUSE THE FAILURE OF THE HEADSET EXTENSION CORD WAS NOT ENTERED INTO THE ACFT LOGBOOK; AND THAT THE MECH DID NOT SIGN OFF THE WORK HE DID (SWAPPING THE BAD CORD FOR A NEW ONE). I GUESS MY FAILURE AS THE CAPT WAS NOT REALIZING THAT FAILURE OF THE RADIO SHACK EXTENSION CORD WAS A PART OF THE ACFT AND SHOULD BE ENTERED INTO THE LOGBOOK (I STILL DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE)! OBVIOUSLY; THERE WAS NO SAFETY COMPROMISED HERE. I FEEL THAT SAFETY IS COMPROMISED BY THE FAA'S ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WORKING PLT COMMUNITY. THESE PEOPLE; PROBABLY ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE; DON'T OPERATE IN THE 'REAL WORLD.' IN MY JOB; I CONTINUALLY SEE PLTS; MYSELF INCLUDED; SPENDING MORE TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE FAA WANTS; INSTEAD OF SPENDING TIME ON THE SAFETY ASPECTS OF FLT. DOESN'T THE FAA HAVE SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT TO DO THAN NITPICKING PLTS ABOUT TINY ITEMS? THEY HAVE INSPECTORS WITH 1000 HRS AND ALL THE RATINGS (PAPERWORK) TRYING TO TELL 15000 HR CARRIER PLTS HOW TO DO THEIR JOB. WHAT HAPPENED TO KINDER AND GENTLER AND I'M HERE TO HELP? WHAT HAPPENED TO COMMON SENSE?