NON ESSENTIAL COCKPIT OCCUPANT OCCUPIES COCKPIT AND LATER THE CAPT'S SEAT WHILE ENRTE TO DEST ARPT. CAPT HAD BEEN IN THE LAVATORY. CABIN ATTENDANT DEADHDG WAS IN COCKPIT ON ACCOUNT FULL ACFT.

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A DEADHEADING FLT ATTENDANT OCCUPIED THE COCKPIT JUMPSEAT BECAUSE THERE WERE NO SEATS AVAILABLE IN THE BACK. FOR A SHORT TIME DURING THE CAPT'S ABSENCE FROM THE FLT DECK; SHE OCCUPIED HIS SEAT; AS SHE WAS A STUDENT PLT; AND WE WANTED TO ALLOW HER THIS PERSPECTIVE. THIS WAS A MISTAKE; IN THAT HER PRESENCE (UNAUTHORIZED) IN THE COCKPIT COULD HAVE PROVIDED US WITH A DISTR; WHICH IS WHY THE COCKPIT JUMPSEAT RULES ARE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU WANT TO BE A NICE GUY; YOU DO DUMB THINGS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 240428: A COMPANY FLT ATTENDANT OCCUPIED THE COCKPIT JUMP SEAT IN ORDER TO GET TO PHL. FOR A SHORT TIME; SHE OCCUPIED THE CAPT'S SEAT WHILE HE WAS AT THE LAVATORY; AND JUST FOLLOWING HIS RETURN TO THE COCKPIT. IN RETROSPECT; WE SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS; AS IT IS A VIOLATION OF FARS AND COULD HAVE PROVIDED A DISTR TO THE FLC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 240429: THE CAPT ALLOWED ME TO RIDE IN THE COCKPIT FROM TPA TO PHL SINCE THE ACFT WAS FULL IN THE BACK. AS A PERSON BEGINNING FLYING LESSONS; THIS WAS ESPECIALLY ENJOYABLE TO SEE HOW THINGS WORKED AND TO TALK ABOUT MY LESSONS WITH THE PLTS. WHILE IT APPEARED HARMLESS ENOUGH; I SUPPOSE MY PRESENCE COULD HAVE BEEN A DISTR TO THE PLTS.