FAA INSPECTOR CONDUCTED ENRTE SURVEILLANCE INSPECTION IN THE COCKPIT WITH FACIAL HAIR CONTRARY TO APPROVED ACR FLT OPS MANUAL DUE TO A NEED TO USE AN OXYGEN MASK IN CASE OF ACFT DEPRESSURIZATION.

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FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR GAVE AN ENRTE FLT CHK ON THIS LEG. HAD FAA IDENTS AND DRIVER'S LICENSE. ALSO HAD SCRUFFY GOATEE. WHEN SHOWN FOM AND 'POSBD' REFS TO NEED TO RIDE IN CABIN; INSPECTOR WASN'T IN AGREEMENT THAT THE SPECIFIC REFS TO INSPECTORS ACTUALLY APPLIED TO HIM AND DID NOT ACCEPT THE ARGUMENT THAT IF IN OUR MANUALS THE POLICY CARRIED THE FORCE OF FARS; SO I AVOIDED QUIBBLING CONTEST AND PROCEEDED WITH A NORMAL FLT WITH HIM IN COCKPIT. I FEEL FAA SHOULD NOT PUT US IN POS OF VIOLATING OUR OWN PROCS TO AVOID AN INCIDENT WITH AN AIR SAFETY INSPECTOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE WAS NOT COMPLETELY SURE AS TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE FAA INSPECTOR'S INTERP OF IF HIS COMPANY APPROVED FLT OPS MANUAL APPLIED TO THE INSPECTOR. THEREFORE; HE DECIDED TO ALLOW THE INSPECTOR TO RIDE IN THE COCKPIT AND RAISE THE ISSUE WITH HIS COMPANY. HOWEVER; BOTH HIS COMPANY AND EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVE HAVE NOT GIVEN HIM A DECISIVE ANSWER; OTHER THAN TO SAY THAT IT IS AN UNCLR AREA.