Security, there will be a second door between pilot and passenger cabin
A little over 20 years have passed, but it seems like another geological era. From the time when there was no screening at American airports [...]
Just over 20 years have passed, but it seems like another geological era. Since there were no security checks at American airports, nor any kind of 'filter' to separate the terminal entrance from the boarding areas.
Travel before 9/11
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Friends and relatives, as evidenced by some films until the late 1990s, could safely accompany those leaving to the gate. Or welcome them on arrival always there, a few steps from the plane. On board, separating the cockpit from the passenger cabin was a curtain or so. And even when the doors began to be installed, they were often left open, if not for the entire flight, for much of its duration, including takeoffs and landings. Before the terrorist attack, one could board almost without showing ID, which is crazy when we think about today.
Then came September 11, 2001. And what was 'normal' at airports in much of the world, which were mowed down by terrorist attacks during the 1970s and 1980s, became 'normal' across the Atlantic. While on board, curtains and folding doors have given way to security doors equipped with keypads and access codes, which have made the cockpits impenetrable, to prevent what happened on that horrible day nearly 22 years ago from happening again.
The new rule, soon to be adopted in Europe, was the conduit for the tragedy of Germanwings Flight 9525, brought down voluntarily by first officer Andreas Lubitz in a suicidal act on March 24, 2015. Lubitz locked himself in the cabin alone while the captain had gone to the bathroom, and the security door, which was impossible to open from the outside without the pilot's consent, made all attempts by the rest of the crew to avert the tragedy futile. Since then, many companies have adopted a safety procedure that prevents a single crew member from being alone in the cockpit.
Double security door requirement
But the security door remains and, indeed, on May 14, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA - the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration) approved a requirement for all airplane manufacturers to install a second barrier on board all newly manufactured aircraft that separates the cockpit from the passenger cabin. The requirement affects U.S.-registered airlines flying aircraft falling under 'Part 121' of the FAA's regulations, that is, aircraft with 10 or more seats.
The effective date of the requirement has not yet been specified by the FAA, however, there will be no requirement for airlines to 'retrofit' aircraft already in their fleets. The 'second barrier,' the U.S. regulator's document says, "will further protect cockpits from intrusion on occasions when the door to the cockpits themselves is open."
"Every day pilots and crews transport millions of Americans safely to their destinations, and today we are taking one more step so that they have all the protections they deserve," explained U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttgieg. "No pilot will ever have to worry about a flight deck intrusion again," added FAA safety chief David Boulter. The Biden administration had identified the measure as a priority in 2021.
