B777, at night over NOPAC. crew get a caution, more cautions, warnings, and more cautions, more warnings, APLT dies, ATR dies, stuff is dropping like flies to pyrethrum. The crew by now are quite awake, thinking of what malaise could cause the issues... Flt attendant calls up from fwd galley, asking if the crew are happy with the purser being under the floor in the E&E bay, pulling breakers.
Purser had been told by maintenance that to reset IFE system, he just had to cycle the 3 breakers under the IFE display. There were 3 breakers, within an inch of the display.... but "under" takes on new meanings in the mind of the recipient. Purser was confronted with a bunch more than 3 CBS. It was fortunate that he didn't get right through his CB smorgasbord, There were a number of breakers that were around a ways that would have been... bad to pull.
2 weeks later, having investigated this particular entertainment, I'm driving a night horror, and over the "water, big water, wet water..." to paraphrase a recent food stamp recipient prez, the topic comes up with my crew, as there is an IFE fault. I suggest politely that as I am going off to rest, please don't contact maintenance by Satcom for the purser on the IFE matter, it has recently ended badly. Purser has already asked to do so, and I have said, no, as other than the power cycling in the purser's manual there is no procedure that can be applied by maintenance. Relief crew nod understanding. I go to first class. to watch about 1 hr later the purser enter the cockpit, come back, and lift the hell hole trapdoor, and start to enter the hole. At which time I popped my own CB. I put a CC behind the door and to the right of the hole, had the Purser stay where he was, asked to enter the cockpit, and then got the relief guys to look at what the geek squad was up to. The purser was advised to stay at the rear of the aircraft and to think about his career prospects for the next 10 hours. Which is what he did. After landing there was a bit of a discussion on the law, on maintenance, and comms. Never happened again, the grapevine was pretty efficient if the message was clear enough.
I also brought my own coffee onboard for a while.
