FAA INSPECTOR RIDING AS A PAX ABOARD A SUPER MD80 THREATENED TO MAKE A SAFETY VIOLATION RPT REGARDING THE INADEQUACY OF THE CABIN ATTENDANT'S PREFLT PAX SAFETY BRIEFING PA SINCE IT WAS NOT UNDERSTANDABLE.
Synopsis
FAA INSPECTOR RIDING AS A PAX ABOARD A SUPER MD80 THREATENED TO MAKE A SAFETY VIOLATION RPT REGARDING THE INADEQUACY OF THE CABIN ATTENDANT'S PREFLT PAX SAFETY BRIEFING PA SINCE IT WAS NOT UNDERSTANDABLE.
Narrative
THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP TO THE RPT ON THE SAME FLT WITH THE REST OF THE STORY AS IT BECAME AVAILABLE TO ME. SHORTLY AFTER REACHING CRUISE; THE #3 FLT ATTENDANT CAME INTO THE COCKPIT AND TOLD ME THAT A PAX SEATED IN XX HAD DISPLAYED AN FAA IDENT TO HIM AND HAD SAID THAT HE WAS WITH THE FAA AND WAS OFF DUTY; BUT WAS GOING TO PUT HIMSELF ON DUTY BECAUSE THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT WHO WAS DOING THE PA FOR THE SAFETY DEMO WAS TALKING TOO FAST AND SLURRING HER WORDS AND HE WAS GOING TO MAKE A RPT ON THE INCIDENT. HE WISHED TO TALK TO THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD WANTED HER TO COME TO HIS SEAT. SHE CAME TO ASK ME IF SHE SHOULD TALK TO HIM AND KNOWING A MODERATE PAX LOAD; I ADVISED HER THAT SHE SHOULD REFRAIN FROM DISCUSSING ANY SENSITIVE TOPICS WITHIN EARSHOT OF ANY PAX. HE APPARENTLY WAITED UNTIL I TURNED OFF THE SEATBELT SIGN AND THEN APCHED HER IN THE FORWARD GALLEY. DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME I WAS THINKING THAT THIS IS NOT TYPICAL FAA OP THAT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH AND WAS BEGINNING TO WONDER IF MAYBE I HAD SOME FORM OF SECURITY PROB ON BOARD THE ACFT SINCE THIS PERSON HAD NOT IDENTED HIMSELF PREVIOUSLY AS AN FAA INSPECTOR. I NOTIFIED MY DISPATCHER WHO IN TURN GOT A HOLD OF THE FAA NW REGION PERSON ON DUTY WHO ADVISED THAT THEY DID HAVE AN FAA INSPECTOR (NAME) AT THE XA FSDO. LATER; ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS CAME UP AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAD ASKED IF I KNEW HE WAS ON BOARD AND WISHED TO SPEAK WITH HIM. I ADVISED THAT IF THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE CONCERN WITH THE SAFETY OF THE ACFT I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS; OTHERWISE I WOULD SPEAK WITH HIM ON ARR AT PDX. I HEARD NO MORE THE REST OF THE FLT. I MADE IT A POINT TO BE IN THE COCKPIT DOOR WHEN THE PAX DEPLANED SO THAT I WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR HIM. THE INSPECTOR DID NOT BOTHER TO IDENT HIMSELF TO ME AS HE DEPLANED AND ONCE POINTED OUT TO ME BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS I FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH HIM 1/2 WAY DOWN THE CONCOURSE (NOT THE JETBRIDGE -- BUT THE CONCOURSE). I ASKED HIM IF THERE WAS A PROB; AND HE EXPLAINED THAT THE SAFETY DEMO PA COULD NOT BE UNDERSTOOD AND THAT IT WAS A SAFETY VIOLATION AND HE WOULD PUT IT IN HIS RPT. HE ALSO MADE IT A POINT TO TELL ME THAT THE #3 FLT ATTENDANT WAS RUDE TO HIM UNTIL HE FOUND OUT WHO HE WAS. I ASKED TO SEE HIS IDENT AND HE ASKED FOR MINE. WE EXCHANGED INFO AND WENT ON OUR SEPARATE WAYS. I NORMALLY MONITOR THE PA'S IN THE BACKGND TO DETERMINE IF WE ARE READY FOR TKOF AND I DO NOT RECALL ANYTHING BUT A NORMAL SOUNDING PA FROM THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT. THE OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS APPARENTLY ASKED SOME OF THE PAX IF THEY HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD HER PA'S AND THEY ALL SAID YES. THE MORE I THINK ABOUT THIS; THE MORE I AM BOTHERED BY A COUPLE OF POINTS. FIRST; I FIND IT UNUSUAL FOR AN FAA INSPECTOR TO COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK DURING THE MIDDLE OF A FLT. I WOULD HOPE THAT ONE WOULD IF THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE PROB; BUT SINCE IT WAS NOT BROUGHT TO MY ATTN UNTIL AFTER WE HAD LEVELED OFF; I HAVE TO THINK THAT HE DID NOT FEEL THAT WAY. SECONDLY; DISCUSSING THIS WHILE ENRTE CERTAINLY DID WONDERS FOR THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT AND HER FRAME OF MIND. I ASKED HER HOW SHE WAS DOING SINCE SHE HAS ONLY BEEN FLYING FOR 1 1/2 YRS AND HAD NEVER DEALT WITH ANYTHING LIKE THIS. SHE SAID SHE WAS OK; BUT I COULD TELL SHE WAS UPSET. I DIDN'T APPRECIATE THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT I SAT THERE WONDERING IF I HAD SOME WEIRDO IN THE BACK IMPERSONATING AN OFFICIAL AND WHAT ELSE MIGHT HAPPEN. I FELT MUCH BETTER ONCE I GOT CONFIRMATION OF WHO HE WAS; BUT I WOULD THINK THAT AN FAA INSPECTOR WOULD BE SENSITIVE TO THIS KIND OF THING. ALSO; FROM MY POINT OF VIEW; HE HAD NO INTENTION OF TALKING TO ME IN PDX SINCE I HAD TO CHASE HIM DOWN AND ASK WHAT THE PROB WAS. WHILE I CERTAINLY CANNOT HEAR THE SAFETY DEMO FROM THE CABIN; I COULD HEAR IT FROM MY AUDIO PANEL AS WELL AS THE 2 PREVIOUS LEGS AND THE ONE AFTER THIS FLT AND I CAN ONLY SAY THAT IT SOUNDED NORMAL TO ME.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.