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Fortifying cockpits not an easy task
By BILL ADAIR
© St. Petersburg Times, WASHINGTON -- Building tougher cockpit doors won't be easy. President Bush said Thursday that the government will provide airlines with $500-million to improve aircraft security and fortify doors "so our pilots will always be in command of the airplanes." But aviation experts say it could take years to get new doors installed. They say the task is complicated because there are more than 40 versions of doors and designers may need to fortify the bulkhead, the wall that separates the cockpit from the passenger cabin. "You can reinforce the door, but if you don't fortify the entire bulkhead, then the door is worthless," said Greg Feith, a former investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board. The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks prompted many suggestions for better doors because of speculation that hijackers broke into cockpits to take control of the planes. But designing new doors will be complicated and expensive.
Last week, Hank Queen, Boeing's vice president for engineering and product integrity, told a Senate committee about the scope of the challenge: There are 7,000 commercial jets in the United States that have more than 40 different cockpit door systems. "We need to keep these numbers in mind as we consider any design changes to improve aircraft security," he said. "Finding solutions that can be implemented quickly with a large number of airplanes is essential." Feith predicted it will take years to retrofit the fleet. "You can't just make (a door) out of lead and put a lock on it," he said. "It's going to take some engineering. That is a long-term solution." But union and industry officials say they believe the massive program can be done quickly. "I think it is possible to do it in a year," said John Cox, a US Airways pilot from St. Petersburg who is the top safety official with the Air Line Pilots Association. "But the question is going to be the airlines' willingness to take planes out of service to install the doors." Another challenge: Smaller commuter planes have flimsy folding doors or only a curtain to separate pilots from passengers. President Bush did not specify how those planes would be affected. FAA engineers in Seattle have already begun working on standards for cockpit door modifications, but no final decisions have been made. One difficulty they have had is making sure a new door allows for a sudden flow of air if an airplane has a rapid decompression. Today, cockpit doors are not much of a barrier to hijackers. They are designed to be breakable so pilots can escape after a crash. Also, cockpit keys are universal, which means every airline pilot has a key to every cockpit. Many flight attendants and airline ramp workers also have the keys. With so many keys in circulation, it would be easy for a hijacker to get one. A coalition of aviation groups that includes the airlines and the major labor unions recommended this week that the government adopt short-term and long-term approaches. In the short term, the group said locks should be immediately re-keyed on all cockpit doors, with keys given only to pilots. The group also said every door should get a new deadbolt lock that pilots can control from their seats. However, the group said the deadbolt has drawbacks, because it could restrict emergency access and may not comply with federal standards for a sudden depressurization. In the long term, there is widespread agreement by aviation officials and lawmakers that the cockpit door needs to be fortified in several ways. Aviation experts said it is likely the door panel itself will be reinforced and have some type of bulletproof surface. They also say the door is likely to have pins that would extend into the frame to secure the door with the bulkhead. Another possibility is a double door that has a small foyer. It is known as "a man trap" because an intruder would get caught between the doors. But Cox said that might require too much space. "It's certainly a proposal that warrants looking at, but I suspect the physical size is going to make it less desirable for the airlines," Cox said. A new door will be an effective barrier when it's closed, but the FAA and the airlines still must determine the rules on when it would be opened. Would pilots be allowed to get up during a flight to use the lavatory? Could flight attendants enter the cockpit to serve a meal? Jim Arthur, a Trans World Airlines captain, said this week that he alerts the flight attendants when he needs to go to the bathroom. Before he leaves the flight deck, he has the flight attendants stand in the aisles to block passengers from rushing the cockpit. Michael Levine, a Harvard law professor who studies the airline industry, said that's a good idea, "but whether it works against a guy with a knife is an open question." -- Staff writer Bill Adair can be reached at (202) 463-0575 or adair@sptimes.com.
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