AN ACR CAPT ON A MILITARY CHARTER FLT DSNDED TO FL385 FROM FL390 AND ENTERED HOLDING AFTER ANKARA ATC REPORTER NO FLT PLAN. BAGHDAD ATC ORDERED CLB BACK TO FL390.

Narrative

I WAS THE RELIEF PLT IN THE L SEAT AND ACTING PIC. I WAS ALSO THE PF. BAGHDAD CTR HAD TOLD US TO CONTACT ANKARA WHILE STILL WELL IN IRAQI AIRSPACE; AS THIS WAS NORMAL PRACTICE. SHORTLY ANKARA CTL TOLD US THEY HAD NO FLT PLAN AND WE WERE NOT TO ENTER TURKISH AIRSPACE. I IMMEDIATELY SET UP A HOLD AND CHKED HOLDING TIME WHILE THE FO CONTACTED DISPATCH VIA HF RADIO. I CALLED BACK TO BAGHDAD CTR TO ADVISE THEM THAT WE WERE HOLDING S OF KABAN. I THEN HAD THE CAPT CALL TO THE COCKPIT. WHEN THE CAPT ENTERED THE COCKPIT I BRIEFED HIM ON THE SITUATION AND THEN HE TOOK THE L SEAT AND ASSUMED COMMAND. ANKARA WAS ON THE L VHF; BAGHDAD WAS ON THE CTR VHF AND THE FO WAS IN CONTACT WITH STOCKHOLM RADIO ON THE HF RADIO. I ASSUMED PLT MONITORING DUTIES. THE CAPT THEN STARTED TO DSND 500 FT WITHOUT ATC CLRNC OR TELLING THE OTHER 2 PLTS. I CALLED BAGHDAD CTR AND TOLD THEM WE WERE DSNDING 500 FT. BAGHDAD IMMEDIATELY TOLD US THAT WOULD CAUSE CONFLICTS AND TOLD US TO CLB BACK TO FL390. WE THEN CLBED BACK TO FL390. THE CAPT SAID HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT SBOUND TFC FROM ANKARA CTR. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE CAPT WAS THINKING BUT HIS UNILATERAL ACTION COULD HAVE CAUSED TFC CONFLICTS. WE WERE IN A RADAR ENVIRONMENT ON AN ESTABLISHED AIRWAY.