Narrative:

First officer is an ffdo. During prebrief I included a briefing with regard to flight threat level response (level 4). I also briefed I would assign first officer the flying pilot duties in accordance with pilot handbook. First officer stated he was unable to comply with my brief. First officer's noncompliance with regulations as well as his intended deviations from company policies and procedures (found in the fom) indicated to me this was a impending flight safety issue. I removed myself from the flight. Despite repeated efforts on my part; thru this venue; the fom fails to recognize the role ffdo's play in captain's authority; captain's emergency authority; and the cockpit breach procedure. A subordinate pilot assumes complete authority without a mention in the fom; yet responsibility remains with the captain. How can I remain responsible for actions not authorized or understood by me? I simply feel the fom should reflect the reality of our environment. As the captain; I am left hanging with the responsibility of the ffdo's actions. At least according to the fom. Modify the fom to absolve the captain from ffdo actions by incorporating procedures that reflect who does what when. It can't be that hard. Otherwise this safety of flight issue remains.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 CAPT HAS ISSUES WITH FO FFDO REGARDING CAPT'S AUTHORITY AND REMOVES HIMSELF FROM THE TRIP.

Narrative: FO IS AN FFDO. DURING PREBRIEF I INCLUDED A BRIEFING WITH REGARD TO FLIGHT THREAT LEVEL RESPONSE (LEVEL 4). I ALSO BRIEFED I WOULD ASSIGN FO THE FLYING PILOT DUTIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH PILOT HANDBOOK. FO STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH MY BRIEF. FO'S NONCOMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS AS WELL AS HIS INTENDED DEVIATIONS FROM COMPANY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES (FOUND IN THE FOM) INDICATED TO ME THIS WAS A IMPENDING FLIGHT SAFETY ISSUE. I REMOVED MYSELF FROM THE FLIGHT. DESPITE REPEATED EFFORTS ON MY PART; THRU THIS VENUE; THE FOM FAILS TO RECOGNIZE THE ROLE FFDO'S PLAY IN CAPTAIN'S AUTHORITY; CAPTAIN'S EMERGENCY AUTHORITY; AND THE COCKPIT BREACH PROCEDURE. A SUBORDINATE PILOT ASSUMES COMPLETE AUTHORITY WITHOUT A MENTION IN THE FOM; YET RESPONSIBILITY REMAINS WITH THE CAPTAIN. HOW CAN I REMAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTIONS NOT AUTHORIZED OR UNDERSTOOD BY ME? I SIMPLY FEEL THE FOM SHOULD REFLECT THE REALITY OF OUR ENVIRONMENT. AS THE CAPTAIN; I AM LEFT HANGING WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FFDO'S ACTIONS. AT LEAST ACCORDING TO THE FOM. MODIFY THE FOM TO ABSOLVE THE CAPTAIN FROM FFDO ACTIONS BY INCORPORATING PROCEDURES THAT REFLECT WHO DOES WHAT WHEN. IT CAN'T BE THAT HARD. OTHERWISE THIS SAFETY OF FLIGHT ISSUE REMAINS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.