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Pilots who fly the Canadair Bombardier Regional Jet or CRJ aircraft know first-hand how cramped the space on the flight deck is. It's really a business jet cockpit, not the flight deck you'd expect on a transport category aircraft. I have heard that it's not uncommon for pilots to keep a small lunchbox on the floor of the seat next to them.

Some pilots say that a bag cannot be stored there next to the seat and that if an FAA inspector were to see the bag, there could be consequences.

Is there a regulation that storing a bag in this way violates?

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    $\begingroup$ "On the floor of the seat next to them"... you mean on the floor behind the seat don't you? Or on the center isle floor behind the console? I've put stuff on the floor behind the seat. $\endgroup$
    – John K
    May 27 '18 at 1:36
  • $\begingroup$ I’ll post a pic to clarify. $\endgroup$
    – ryan1618
    May 27 '18 at 16:27
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There are some relevant links in the Cabin Saftey Index document under "crew baggage" indicating that all bags must be restrained. The document points to

§121.576 Retention of items of mass in passenger and crew compartments.

The certificate holder must provide and use means to prevent each item of galley equipment and each serving cart, when not in use, and each item of crew baggage, which is carried in a passenger or crew compartment from becoming a hazard by shifting under the appropriate load factors corresponding to the emergency landing conditions under which the airplane was type certificated.

The question remains if the cockpit is in anyway different than a "crew compartment" but I would say that could be applied to your question.

However if the bag in question is a flight kit then different rules apply which can be found here:

A. Flightcrew Flight-Kits. Particular attention should be given to compliance with part 121 regarding restraints for any baggage carried on the flight deck. Flightcrew flight-kits are not items of crew baggage. This policy also applies to aviation safety inspectors (ASI) and additional flightcrew members. While it is logical that flight-kits be placed so that movement is restricted, the FAA does not intend that they be restrained in a manner that would interfere with the needs and functions of the flightcrew.

I can not find a further definition of "flight-kit" and/or if you can or cant put your lunch in it.

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