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To: cynwoody

I watched the video now.

The default location doesn’t give me great confidence. Neither does the fact this is a bounce-back switch always going to the midway position.

I also find it curious that the access code can override the lock? If only for 30 seconds. Did I miss something? Maybe it is still in Norm; must leave, don’t have time to rerun video now. Later.


365 posted on 03/27/2015 6:02:42 AM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs.)
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To: the OlLine Rebel
The design tries to balance the conflicting goals of keeping hijackers out of the cockpit with the possible legitimate need of the cabin crew to enter the cockpit in an emergency. Punching in the unlock code sounds an alarm for thirty seconds, during which the pilot can veto entry for the next five to twenty minutes by flicking the switch to LOCK. If the pilot is incapacitated, that presumably won't happen, and the door will then unlock. The design would appear to handle two of three situations: (1) hijacking, (2) disabled pilot, (3) suicidal pilot.

A possible modification: have a distress code as well as an unlock code and modify the logic such that the unlock code always unlocks the door, pilot veto not permitted. However, entering the distress code disables the unlock code, making entry from outside impossible.

"What is the code, infidel slut?" "2368, please don't kill me!" Hijacker punches in 2368, rendering the door locked from the inside securely.

Of course, it would be necessary to have opening the door always reenable the unlock code. Otherwise, the suicidal pilot could simply enter the distress code during his bathroom break. Obvious flaw: the scheme depends on the cabin crew to give or punch in the distress code in place of the unlock code.

The US practice of having a cabin crew member sit in for an absent pilot would seem to be a better idea. But then there is the possibility of the suicidal pilot simply killing little Sally with his bare hands.

378 posted on 03/27/2015 2:40:34 PM PDT by cynwoody
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