CAPT AND FO NEW TO ACFT AND WANTED CTR JUMP SEAT FOR NON FLYING FO TO AID THE FLC. AN ACR INSPECTOR (ACI) WAS ON BOARD AND TOOK EXCEPTION TO BEING MOVED FROM THE CTR JUMP SEAT TO THE R JUMP SEAT.

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UPON ARR AT ACFT WAS MET BY FAA ACR INSPECTOR. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY STOWED HIS GEAR BY CTR JUMP SEAT. I REQUESTED HE USE THE R SIDE JUMP SEAT. I EXPLAINED TO HIM I WAS NEW ON ACFT; IT WAS MY FIRST DEP ON A B777 FROM CDG; THE FLYING FO WAS ON HIS FIRST PLT IN CTL LEG SINCE COMPLETING HIS IOE; AND OUR COCKPIT PRINTER WAS INOP NECESSITATING A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN COCKPIT WORKLOAD ON AN ETOPS FLT DEPARTING EUROPE. MY NON FLYING FO WAS QUITE EXPERIENCED AND I HAD BEEN FLYING WITH HIM THE ENTIRE MONTH. THE FAA INSPECTOR COMPLAINED THAT 'HE WAS JUST TRYING TO DO HIS JOB.' I EXPLAINED THAT I TOO WAS JUST TRYING TO DO MINE; AND UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES I WOULD FEEL FAR MORE COMFORTABLE IF MY EXPERIENCED FO WAS NOT INHIBITED IN ANY WAY FROM ACCESSING THE CTLS ON THE CTR PEDESTAL AND OVERHEAD PANEL. THE INSPECTOR COMPLIED WITH MY REQUEST INFORMING ME HE WOULD 'NOTE MY ACTIONS IN HIS RPT.' I SAID 'FINE!' I BELIEVE THE FAA'S INSISTENCE TO USE THE CTR JUMP SEAT; REGARDLESS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES IMPINGES ON CAPT'S AUTH AND POTENTIALLY DEGRADES THE SAFE OP OF THE ACFT. PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING: 1) THERE ARE DISPLAYS AND CTLS ON THE PEDESTAL WHICH CANNOT BE ACCESSED BY THE NON FLYING FO FROM THE R HAND JUMP SEAT. THESE CTLS ARE REQUIRED FOR ROUTINE COMS WITH THE COMPANY; ATC AND THE CABIN CREW; TO SAY NOTHING OF THEIR USEFULNESS IN AN IRREGULARITY OR EMER. 2) WHEN THE CTR JUMP SEAT IS OCCUPIED; ACCESS TO AND FROM THE R HAND JUMP SEAT IS DIFFICULT REQUIRING AN EXCESS AMOUNT OF COMMOTION ON THE FLT DECK. 3) I RECENTLY COMPLETED TRANSITION TRAINING ON THE B777 WHICH WAS AN AQP PROGRAM. AS PART OF THAT TRAINING; WE SIMULATED AN ETOPS FLT FROM THE UNITED STATES TO CDG. THE INSTRUCTOR PLAYED THE ROLE OF THE NON FLYING FO; PROVIDING US WITH ALL REQUIRED INFO AND ASSISTANCE FROM THE CTR OF THE COCKPIT. 4) ON MY ETOPS IOE; WE OPERATED WITH A NON FLYING FO ON THE CTR JUMP SEAT PERFORMING HIS NORMAL DUTIES. 5) I HAVE FLOWN ONLY A HANDFUL OF B777 ETOPS SEGMENTS; ALL WITH A NON FLYING FO IN THE CTR JUMP SEAT. 6) I HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED; NOR CHKED; NOR RECEIVED ANY FORM OF ETOPS EXPERIENCE IN THE B777 WITHOUT THE FULL ASSISTANCE OF THE NON FLYING FO OPERATING IN THE CTR JUMP SEAT WHERE HE HAS FULL; UNINHIBITED ACCESS TO THE REQUIRED CTLS. 7) I BELIEVE THE FAA; IN EXERCISING A PRIMORDIAL TERRITORIAL CLAIM TO THE CTR JUMP SEAT ON B777 ETOPS FLTS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES DEMONSTRATES A CALLOUS DISREGARD FOR AIR SAFETY.