sethb

The intent isn't to guard against a psychopath, it's in case the pilot has a heart attack. The FA can let the other pilot back in.

FlyingUnderTheRadar

Yeah the pilot who is in the lav. No different than if the FA went into the lav during the flight.

A couple of comments from listening to the interview with the CEO of Lufthansa.

There is a code that can be entered from the outside to unlock the door. However, it is a timed process. That is once the code is entered, the door does not immediately unlock, but starts a timer. If after 30 seconds there is no cancel signal the door unlocks. The person in the cockpit can actively cancel the unlock request.

There is also a full deactivate - that is regardless if a code is entered the door will not unlock.

It is my understanding that the co-pilot did the latter.

HDQDD

Unfortunately, it's hard to completely error/idiot proof something for someone who is hellbent on committing suicide. Having two peeps in the flight deck at all times is a good start. Yes, one pilot could incapacitate the other or the FA, but the odds of that are extremely low compared to the risk of leaving a pilot alone. And if the FA is near the door, she could simply open it and yell for help.

Why? What good does does collecting telemetry data do? Lots of useless data that's extremely expensive (satellite bandwidth is really expensive) to collect and maintain. Most Aircraft report in (position, winds, altitude, attitude, heading, etc.) every few seconds via ACARS anyway. ADS-B equipped aircraft report position data many times per second. I think all European carriers have their aircraft ADS-B equipped. Here in the U.S. that's not always the case. Newer aircraft and aircraft that are used TATL/TPAC have ADS-B, but much of the domestic fleet does not. Websites like flightradar24.com use the ADS-B data (among other sources) to plot aircraft.

Even if they had the telemetry data real time, it wouldn't stop a determined pilot from putting it in the ground.

See above.

Vegasrider

CNN had a nice segment regarding how strong these doors are, and essentially just like some of you have mentioned, they are impenetrable and probably one of the strongest part of an aircraft. I really didn't pay too much attention to how the door was designed until now.

yohanson

This incident has made me wonder how strong the bulkhead is between the cockpit and the forward lav on aircraft that have the lav up against the cockpit bulkhead.

BogusRogus

Sadly, I expect many more of these incidents in the future. On my Cebu Pacific flight yesterday - the FA did replace the pilot but... The FA - who makes maybe $500 a month, is in great shape and 23 years old, male, could easily overpower the aged pilot. If an FA is ok - why not a DM or PM? We've now placed the fate of everyone on board onto a 23 year old. These things have a way of trending - intentional acts will be the no.1 cause of flight disater until they unlock the door for good. After 9-11 - 57 people will rush that cockpit in .2 micro seconds. It's a different world now. Unlock the door.

FlyingNone

[QUOTE=HDQDD;24573455]Unfortunately, it's hard to completely error/idiot proof something for someone who is hellbent on committing suicide. Having two peeps in the flight deck at all times is a good start. Yes, one pilot could incapacitate the other or the FA, but the odds of that are extremely low compared to the risk of leaving a pilot alone. And if the FA is near the door, she could simply open it and yell for help. [quote]
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I was wondering that myself. I'm certainly not against another set of eyes in the cockpit, but what could a FA do if a pilot snaps and starts some crazy maneuver ? What next, a FAM in every cockpit or maybe go back to a three man crew adding another pilot/navigator ? Costly to say the least but obviously the cost of lives is much greater.

WhiskeyBravo

I thought most pilots carried guns now? Seriously.

sethb

Some do, but I believe far from most.

exwannabe

Agree with sethb, but I would also add that a gun in this situation is nearly worthlesss and can even be a liability.

The pilot is flying the plane, and presumably would have no warning of the others impending attack. The pilots hands would be further from the gun than the hands oif the attacker, add in reaction time ...

Virtuall nobody can kill quickly with their hands. In such a fight, an overpowered pilot might be best off trying to hit alarms and.or door unlocks (I assume they have some such panic biutton). If instead they need to protect against a grab by the attacker for their own gun, they could not do such,

LaserSailor

This is not obvious, and probably not correct.

ROI of three crew on every flight is probably less than the benefit of preventing incidents such as the Germanwings one. Distasteful as it may seem, there is an actuarial cost of human life.

Guns in the cockpit add no benefit - that was a really stupid reactionary move post 911. So far the net action has been holing one US plane.

yohanson

Do you frequently carry a gun or have been trained in Combat Pistol? Your statements sound very ignorant.

yohanson

I'm on a DL flight right now where the FA opened one of the closet doors while a pilot came out to use the head and then did the same when the pilot traded with a FA. I don't have a problem with this!

Always Flyin

An Egypt Air pilot easily managed to crash a plane with the other pilot still in the cockpit. Having a flight attendant in the cockpit does nothing to prevent a German Wings type event.