Physical 2nd barrier to flight deck now required for all aircraft in part 121 service

[flashcrash]

Published in Federal Register today June 14. Goes into effect in 60 days.

Installation and Operation of Flightdeck Installed Physical Secondary Barriers on Transport Category Airplanes in Part 121 Service (faa.gov)

"The benefit of this rule, requiring installation and use of IPSBs on airplanes in part 121 service, is to slow an attack long enough so that an open flightdeck door can be closed and locked before an attacker could reach the flightdeck"

[Evan]

Passenger jets used to be soft targets for terrorism. By the end of the day on September 11th, 2001, hijacking became a thing of the past, because no sane pilot would ever cooperate with a hijacker ever again. Nor would any group of passengers. Nor would any (relatively) sane hijacker expect to reliably pass through security with a lethal weapon. I suppose two or more hijackers could rush the cockpit, dispatch the crew (with what?) and quickly put the airplane into a fatal dive before it could be intercepted, but organized acts of terrorism require public recognition to have any purpose and this would just look like a mechanical failure or pilot error—like MH370, forever a mystery. I don't see it happening. There are plenty of softer targets. Why go for a hardened one?

So, I'm curious as to why this is just happening now?

[Gabriel]

Passenger jets used to be soft targets for terrorism. By the end of the day on September 11th, 2001, hijacking became a thing of the past, because no sane pilot would ever cooperate with a hijacker ever again. Nor would any group of passengers. Nor would any (relatively) sane hijacker expect to reliably pass through security with a lethal weapon. I suppose two or more hijackers could rush the cockpit, dispatch the crew (with what?) and quickly put the airplane into a fatal dive before it could be intercepted, but organized acts of terrorism require public recognition to have any purpose and this would just look like a mechanical failure or pilot error—like MH370, forever a mystery. I don't see it happening. There are plenty of softer targets. Why go for a hardened one?

So, I'm curious as to why this is just happening now?

It may save a few lives on the ground every 100 years.

[TeeVee]

or maybe it gives some idiots a warm fuzzy feeling. i have a better idea: all commercial aircraft should be remotely piloted. no more cockpits. then, good effin luck hjacking anything.

whaddaya think evan? right up your alley!

[Evan]

It may save a few lives on the ground every 100 years.

Touché, and yet another reason for a second pilot.

These days, it seems the greater malicious threat is coming from inside the cockpit. A second barrier only makes that worse.

[Gabriel]

Now, getting serious, it is my understanding that the risk scenario that intends to be eliminated with this requirement is this:
A small group of terrorists (even as small as 1) makes it through the cockpit (more by surprise than by violence) the moment that a pilot goes out for a bathroom break and locks themselves inside of the cockpit, then incapacitate the lone pilot in the cockpit (which can be done without "formal" weapons) and take control of the plane.
It is a stretch, and there are procedures in place to strongly mitigate (but not eliminate) this risk.

This implementation would ensure that the cockpit door can be opened only if the second barrier is closed, and after the cockpit door is closed again the second barrier ca be opened.

[Evan]

Now, getting serious, it is my understanding that the risk scenario that intends to be eliminated with this requirement is this:
A small group of terrorists (even as small as 1) makes it through the cockpit (more by surprise than by violence) the moment that a pilot goes out for a bathroom break and locks themselves inside of the cockpit, then incapacitate the lone pilot in the cockpit (which can be done without "formal" weapons) and take control of the plane.
It is a stretch, and there are procedures in place to strongly mitigate (but not eliminate) this risk.

This implementation would ensure that the cockpit door can be opened only if the second barrier is closed, and after the cockpit door is closed again the second barrier ca be opened.

Did it really take them 22 years to think this up?

[Gabriel]

Did it really take them 22 years to think this up?

Think? Not really, this has been in the talks for years.
Implement? Yes, and it will not be over by this New Year either so, keep counting.

[3WE]

…and ChatGPT will analyze for when Germanwings, MH et al are deliberately crashing and take control…

[TeeVee]

i think someone probably realized that placing a food cart on an angle to block the aisle while one pilot exits the flight deck to take a leak is not truly a viable defense. my favorite seat is first row, right side aisle. from there i can see the flight deck door and bathroom. the amount of time the door is open is ridiculously short. so placing an additinal barrier between cabon and galley area is truly a waste of time, money and lord knows what else. it also will--mark my words--lead to problems when said unnecessary barrier gets stuck in the down position.

[LH-B744]

It may save a few lives on the ground every 100 years.

Astonishing enough, Evan even in this year 2023 goes back more than 20 years in aviation history. I mean, between you n me it is clear, 20 years isn't much, less than half of a life.

I still don't know what 20 years are in Evan's time scale. Obviously a little bit more than between you n me, Gabe... (?) .

an open flightdeck door can be closed and locked

Hm. I'm not quite sure, but isn't that also true for a LH-B744? First flight of that a/c type in this airline was 1989.

Seen with a little bit of more relaxation, which comes with... the age, I'd almost said...

[Gabriel]

I started college in 1990, more than 33 years ago. Consider me "in aviation history" since then.
... for whatever it's worth...