Originally Posted by
Olton Hall
The door weighs about 40-50 lbs and after you remove the door you have to turn around and lift it over the seats in front of you. I've seen many people in the exit rows that I'd doubt are physically capable of doing it. All this while in a cramped space crouched over under the overhead bins. When the door handle is released, it simply falls in on you so you have to stand in a certain way and hold the door handles a certain way so you don't get crushed by it. Having never done it before, you'd think it's a lot easier than it is (yes I will admit that I had my lower hand placed wrong until corrected) Once you've done it in person I'd consider it to be an easy task though one I hope never have to perform. Keep in mind, on this tour we only placed the door on the seat next to us and did not have to lift it over the seat and out of the way.
I, too, did the FA training tour at the DO, and opened the 735 plug. I'm telling you what: if there's a real emergency, after I check for smoke & fire, I'm opening that thing and CHUCKING IT OUT. Think about it: if there's a real emergency, you aren't going to have cooperative people around you. Lifting it over the row in front of you? Come on! If you went on this DO tour and did the simulated fire on the fire trainer 732, you know that the cabin filled with the densest smoke you've EVER seen in less than 10 seconds, and your visibility was less than a foot (forget looking for aislepath lighting while sitting - you won't be able to see it) you're going to get the h*ll off that aircraft as fast as possible. That plug is a goner - I'd try to remember to throw it forward off the wing, but its not getting tucked into 14A or F, no way.