A BRAND NEW FO; NEW TO THE ACR AND NEW TO THE INDUSTRY; COMPLAINS ABOUT HIS CAPT'S NON-OBSERVANCE OF THE 'STERILE COCKPIT' CONCEPT.

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THIS WAS THE 4TH LEG OF MY FIRST DAY WITH THIS CAPT; MY 7TH DAY ON THE LINE IN MY FIRST AIRLINE POS. THE CAPT IS A FORMER FIGHTER PLT; ABOUT MY FATHER'S AGE; AND IN THE HIRING POOL OF A MAJOR AIRLINE -- 'JUST WAITING FOR THAT PHONE CALL.' HE WAS INTERESTED IN SHOWING ME THE ROPES; BUT HAD A SOMEWHAT CAVALIER ATTITUDE REGARDING SOME PROCS. FOR INSTANCE; ON MY INITIAL WALK AROUND HE COMMENTED 'WE'RE NOT BUYING IT; WE'RE JUST GOING TO FLY IT FOR A LITTLE WHILE.' HE DELIGHTED IN DEMONSTRATING A PWR-BACK (EMPTY); WHICH OUR OPS SPECS PROHIBIT WITH PAX. ALSO; HE MADE MUCH OF THE FACT THAT HE WAS ON THE INTERVIEW BOARD; AND MADE PASSING REFERENCES TO COMMENTS HE MIGHT MAKE TO THE CHIEF PLT REGARDING MY PERFORMANCE. TO HIS CREDIT HE WAS VERY PRECISE ABOUT CHKLISTS AND PLT TECHNIQUE (AND ON A LATER LEG DEMONSTRATED EXCELLENT COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT IN SEVERE WX); BUT AT THIS TIME I WAS UNCERTAIN ABOUT HOW BEST TO WORK WITH HIM. ABOUT 2 OR 3 MINS AFTER OUR DEP FROM MSY WE INTERCEPTED OUR OUTBOUND COURSE. AT THAT TIME I TURNED TO CHK ON THE PAX AND CABIN. A PAX IN THE FRONT ROW WAS HOLDING A CAMERA POINTED TOWARD THE COCKPIT AND SMILING. I RETURNED THE SMILE; NODDED; AND RETURNED TO MY COCKPIT SCAN. I THEN BECAME AWARE OF THE PAX STANDING RIGHT BEHIND US WITH HIS CAMERA IN THE COCKPIT. I ASKED THE CAPT IF I SHOULD ASK HIM TO RETURN TO HIS SEAT -- MEANING SHOULD I ASK OR WAS THE CAPT GOING TO ASK. THE CAPT REPLIED THAT IT WAS OK. I SUGGESTED THAT MAYBE HE SHOULD WAIT UNTIL WE REACHED CRUISE. THE CAPT'S RESPONSE WAS THAT 'NO; HE'S A NICE ITALIAN BOY.' I CONTINUED MY SCAN AND IGNORED THE PAX WHILE I WAS DECIDING IF I SHOULD SAY THE WORDS 'STERILE COCKPIT' (AN OFTEN IGNORED CONCEPT IF MY OBSERVATIONS WHILE JUMPSEATING ARE AN INDICATION). THE PAX THEN RETURNED TO HIS SEAT -- PERHAPS SENSING MY CONCERN. THERE IS NO POLICY REGARDING COCKPIT DOORS AT OUR AIRLINE. MOST CAPTS LEAVE THEM OPEN; AND MANY PAX COMMENT ON HOW MUCH THEY ENJOYED WATCHING OUT FRONT AND THE COCKPIT INSTS. HOWEVER; IN ONLY 7 DAYS ON THE LINE I EXPERIENCED THE INCIDENT ABOVE AND ANOTHER PAX TAKING FLASH PICTURES DURING A NIGHT LNDG. I BELIEVE THAT COCKPIT DOORS; IF INSTALLED SHOULD BE CLOSED DURING ALL CRITICAL PHASES OF FLT; AND THAT PAX SHOULD HAVE A CALL BUTTON IN CASE OF A PROB IN THE CABIN ON COMMUTER ACFT.