Passengers screamed as captain took axe to cockpit door

www.thetimes.co.uk ^ | 03-27-2015 | Staff

[Red Badger]

As they plunged towards their deaths, one of the last things seen by passengers and cabin crew near the front of the Germanwings Airbus A320 was their captain, Patrick Sonderheimer, desperately trying to smash down the door of the cockpit.

For several minutes on Tuesday morning the airliner had been inexplicably descending from cruising altitude towards the Alps with its engines idle.

[Paine in the Neck]

1. It’s good to know that those cockpit doors are sturdy enough to keep out bad guys, even if they had an axe.

2. It’s good to know that there’s an axe handy in case a good guy gets locked out.

3. What about bad guys now knowing there are axes handy?

[HiTech RedNeck]

How often does a copilot mutiny?

[caligatrux]

Heck, I'll add to this: Then you let a Muslim drive?

IN their defense, he does appear to at least have been a secret Muslim.

Maybe the axe was secret, too. A secret axe hidden away where only the flight crew knew about it? Still seems like a weird policy to me.

[thackney]

I thought the Axe was kept in the cockpit.

Did he take the axe with him to the bathroom?

[HiTech RedNeck]

My guess, the axe is locked in a box that a key is needed to get into. But now everyone knows the pilot has the key.

[left that other site]

Such a think would require an amazing overhaul of technology.

Probably a more comprehensive examination of a potential pilot’s emotional, mental, physical, and “religious” state would be a lot cheaper.

But that would be, of course, “PROFILING”! (Perish the thought!)

[ken5050]

The door is small...and after the successful passenger break-in United 93...they were designed to withstand that type of attack..

[left that other site]

Once is too many times...but there ya go.

[ken5050]

I suspect if, in an emergency landing..the doors can’t open, or the escape chutes won’t deploy..or to punch open a window..

[HiTech RedNeck]

If even a “Moose” at all (there ARE “wacky cults” in the world that have nothing to do with Mohammed)

[Red Badger]

The space where the door is is very narrow, and only one person can fit thru it at one time, and a skinny one at that...............

[Oldeconomybuyer]

<<< Where did he get an AXE? >>>

You had to axe?

[DannyTN]

"So, you lock the door to the cockpit to prevent it from being hijacked, and force every (non-Muslim) passenger to get a cavity search before getting on board... and then you leave axes lying around to chop the door down? "

It does seem a bit flawed.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Then get ALL of the men on board to form a battering ram. That door will not be able to withstand that kind of force!

[ken5050]

Passageway is small..as is door area...can’t apply that much force..

[caligatrux]

3. What about bad guys now knowing there are axes handy?

4. Since there are already axes on the plane, can I start bringing my 1" nail clippers in my carry-on again?

[Red Badger]

Must be near the cockpit door and probably in a locked compartment that only the crew, and possibly only the captain, have access to............

[Red Badger]

Perhaps for a jammed exit door?.............

[caligatrux]

I suspect if, in an emergency landing..the doors can’t open, or the escape chutes won’t deploy..or to punch open a window..

Good thoughts, but you could have one of those window breakers for the windows and a crowbar for the door. While both still dangerous tools, at least they aren't axes.

And can you really hack your way out of a plane with an axe?

[moovova]

Axe? I'm wondering if I can get one of these thru security...