From: Mike Linksvayer (ml@gondwanaland.com)
Date: Thu Sep 13 2001 - 13:51:12 MDT
On Thu, Sep 13, 2001 at 12:11:12PM -0700, hal@finney.org wrote:
> According to the aviation expert on ABC News, they can't strengthen
> the door too much between the cockpit and the cabin because of concerns
> about depressurization. In the event of a loss of pressure accident,
> it is imperative that pressures be quickly equalized between cockpit and
> cabin, otherwise something horrible will happen. He didn't say what,
> but I gather that the plane would fall apart. As a result, the doors
> presently have specially weakened panels which blow out if there is a
> pressure difference. According to this expert, "you can't put a bank
> vault door up there."
To work around this problem, make the cabin-facing door (assuming
two, someone mentioned double steel doors) fencelike rather than
solid.
I'm just guessing though. It's not like there aren't working
solutions.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2001/09/12/israelisecurity.htm
says El Al locks the cockpit door as soon as the pilot enters.
Don't know if they've found it necessary to reinforce that door in
any manner.
-- Mike Linksvayer http://gondwanaland.com/ml/
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