Narrative:

I was called out as a reserve copilot for a sequence of flts. The events occurred during flight bos direct sju-8/88, sju direct sxm-8/88, and sxm direct sju-8/88. There were no ATC violations and all flts were operated within the flight envelope west/O any incident or injury to material or man. But, the captain's preoccupation with taking video pictures from the cockpit ranged from harmless to unprofessional to possibly bordering on being unsafe. At times the workload in the cockpit was not distributed evenly. Depending on where, when, what phase of operations of the aircraft the pictures were being taken, I did question the proprietary of the timing of some of the pictures, and I was wrong in not being more assertive (a common problem of crew members). He never asked anybody's permission to take the pictures. I took no pictures and flew my legs in the most professional and safe manner as possible. I contacted the pilot association's council vice chairman and lodged a formal complaint (today, 8/88) against the pilot and insisted on a resolution and acknowledgement from him that he will cease this unprofessional behavior immediately or I will have to take official company action against them. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: lengthy discussion of the events that took place on the sequence. Flying technique on various takeoffs performed by the captain while the second officer was taking video pictures, 20 degree attitude with 30 degree climbing turns, etc. Professional standards committee is not active at this domicile, and so the matter was taken up with pilot association vice chairman. Has not received any reply, but has noted the captain is still carrying his camera equipment on flts. Did discuss the incident with the pilot and advised captain he had reported it to pilot association. Feels very strongly the actions are detrimental to all pilots on his airline.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIC TAKING VIDEO PICTURES ON A REVENUE FLT FROM THE LEFT SEAT.

Narrative: I WAS CALLED OUT AS A RESERVE COPLT FOR A SEQUENCE OF FLTS. THE EVENTS OCCURRED DURING FLT BOS DIRECT SJU-8/88, SJU DIRECT SXM-8/88, AND SXM DIRECT SJU-8/88. THERE WERE NO ATC VIOLATIONS AND ALL FLTS WERE OPERATED WITHIN THE FLT ENVELOPE W/O ANY INCIDENT OR INJURY TO MATERIAL OR MAN. BUT, THE CAPT'S PREOCCUPATION WITH TAKING VIDEO PICTURES FROM THE COCKPIT RANGED FROM HARMLESS TO UNPROFESSIONAL TO POSSIBLY BORDERING ON BEING UNSAFE. AT TIMES THE WORKLOAD IN THE COCKPIT WAS NOT DISTRIBUTED EVENLY. DEPENDING ON WHERE, WHEN, WHAT PHASE OF OPERATIONS OF THE ACFT THE PICTURES WERE BEING TAKEN, I DID QUESTION THE PROPRIETARY OF THE TIMING OF SOME OF THE PICTURES, AND I WAS WRONG IN NOT BEING MORE ASSERTIVE (A COMMON PROB OF CREW MEMBERS). HE NEVER ASKED ANYBODY'S PERMISSION TO TAKE THE PICTURES. I TOOK NO PICTURES AND FLEW MY LEGS IN THE MOST PROFESSIONAL AND SAFE MANNER AS POSSIBLE. I CONTACTED THE PLT ASSOCIATION'S COUNCIL VICE CHAIRMAN AND LODGED A FORMAL COMPLAINT (TODAY, 8/88) AGAINST THE PLT AND INSISTED ON A RESOLUTION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM HIM THAT HE WILL CEASE THIS UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR IMMEDIATELY OR I WILL HAVE TO TAKE OFFICIAL COMPANY ACTION AGAINST THEM. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: LENGTHY DISCUSSION OF THE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE ON THE SEQUENCE. FLYING TECHNIQUE ON VARIOUS TKOFS PERFORMED BY THE CAPT WHILE THE S/O WAS TAKING VIDEO PICTURES, 20 DEG ATTITUDE WITH 30 DEG CLBING TURNS, ETC. PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMITTEE IS NOT ACTIVE AT THIS DOMICILE, AND SO THE MATTER WAS TAKEN UP WITH PLT ASSOCIATION VICE CHAIRMAN. HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY REPLY, BUT HAS NOTED THE CAPT IS STILL CARRYING HIS CAMERA EQUIPMENT ON FLTS. DID DISCUSS THE INCIDENT WITH THE PLT AND ADVISED CAPT HE HAD RPTED IT TO PLT ASSOCIATION. FEELS VERY STRONGLY THE ACTIONS ARE DETRIMENTAL TO ALL PLTS ON HIS AIRLINE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.