Germanwings Plane Crash: Pilot 'locked Out Of Cockpit'

[naomi24]

//One of the two pilots of the Germanwings plane that crashed in the French Alps was locked out of the cockpit, according to reports.

Early findings from the cockpit voice recorder suggest the pilot made desperate efforts to get back in, sources close to the investigation say.//

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32062278

Is there no way at all that the crew can access the cockpit in an emergency? I wonder if the pilot left in control suffered a heart attack?

[Hopkirk]

They will probably have to spend millions developing a system that recognises identifying features such as fingerprint or iris, so that pilots can always get back in.

[naomi24]

I suppose the answer is either three pilots (which on short haul would seem a bit excessive) or an en suite toilet in the cockpit. That way there would always be at least two pilots locked in the cockpit and on hand.

[237SJ]

In the US, a member of the cabin crew has to be on the flight deck if one of the pilots comes out to go to the loo so there are two people there at all times. That doesn`t work on a single pilot plane of course.

[-Talbot-]

What the reason for the locked out pilot...the passagengers must have witnessed it and been absolutely terried for the last few minutes of their lives. sickening to even think about it.

[237SJ]

How do they know it was the pilot knocking on the door? It might not have been.

[Peter Pedant]

// or an en suite toilet in the cockpit.//

I was thinking of a slighly cheaper - chamber pot in the cockpit
OK for a pilotess it would have to be a bourdaloo

sorry bit of a potty suggestion I know

[naomi24]

I presume he went to the toilet.

[sunny-dave]

This makes me happy to flight on Ryanair

If a pilot needs to leave the cockpit they are immediately temporarily replaced with a member of cabin crew - this means is always at least another pair of hands behind the cockpit door if something happens. Easyjet don't do this ...

[naomi24]

^That was to Talbot.

[Peter Pedant]

well they were saying the plane should fly itself a lot of the time
so a single pilot in the cockpit need not be a lethal event of itself

[Hopkirk]

Why would he go to the toilet so early in the flight?

[xstitcher]

I agree word fan. That person should be fired. It makes me so angry about all this speculation. It can take months and even years to find out what happened.

[Peter Pedant]

// It can take months and even years to find out what happened.//

only because people want it to. Whenever I hear - "oh it is secret so I will make a decision on your behalf", my hackles rise

Life is full of examples of documents being kept confidential in order to maintain public safety when in fact the secrecy is to protect an interested party's ***

[ladybirder]

Bit of info from a friend of mine. There are only two pilots on flights below 10.30 hours. Between 10.30 and 16.00 hours there can be 3/4. So where only two pilots, one goes for pee other is left on own. My friend says the only plane he knows of that actually has a loo on the flight deck is a 747-400.

[anotheoldgit]

It was reported that the cause of the crash could have been a cracked windscreen, causing the pressure in the cabin to drop.

Judging by the minute size of the particles on the ground, how can they possibly think that?

[237SJ]

Those rules don`t apply to A320s because they are short haul aircraft. Yes there is a loo on the 747 flight deck but I`m not sure all airlines would have it - configurations and the locations of water/galleys vary.

[237SJ]

That`s to ladybirder

[retrocop]

aog
Someone who has recently listened to the flight box recorder said that they interpreted a cracking noise within the cockpit area and assumed aircraft cracking up probably the wind screen.Speculation and guesses at this stage I think.

[ladybirder]

237sj he, nor I, said all 747s had a loo on the flight deck.

So are you saying he is wrong when he states there were only two pilots piloting this plane?

[237SJ]

No, I`m saying that the A320 is largely a 2 man plane because they don`t fly 10 hours + they are a short haul aircraft. You might get 3 pilots if one of the operating pilots is being checked out.