B-767 Door Operation

[shipcafe]

Hi Everyone,

So here's an odd question. From what I've learned of the B-767 in my youth and until today, I've thought that the door operation of the 767 was mechanical in nature and that the door rose automatically into the ceiling. From safety cards, etc. it has always appeared that when the lever was raised, the door automatically rose into the ceiling.

Many times lately, however, when I watch catering staff open the rear doors from the outside, they are manually lifting the door into the ceiling. This is the same when they close the door by pulling it down.

Any explanation? Aren't the doors supposed to be mechanical and automatic by nature?

[AJ]

All main doors on the 767 are counterweighted plug type doors. Manual operation is not difficult thanks to the counterweight assisting in raising the door into the ceiling.

Door L1 (and L2 in our -336 aircraft) has an electric assist which allows opening and closing without any physical effort. The up and down switches are located on the control panel adjacent to the door, or by a toggle switch located under the external door handle.

The safety cards refer to emergency operation. Once the door has been opened in 'ARMED' a power assist drives the door upwards to release the slide from the bustle and allow inflation. As the counterbalance is designed for the door and slide it is VERY difficult closing the door without the slide in the bustle!

[Cam]

AJ, does this add MTC cost in later years? Seems like a lot of moving and mechanical parts that can be a headache.

What's your experience with older 767's and the doors?

[AJ]

Cam, I've never had an issue with them, except the occasional failure of the electric assist which causes little angst. The door has much few parts that an outward opening door!

[shipcafe]

Cam, I've never had an issue with them, except the occasional failure of the electric assist which causes little angst. The door has much few parts that an outward opening door!

AJ, very interesting - thanks for the clarification.

So.. are the traditional embarkation doors (i.e. L1) typically motor driven when the jet approaches the gate or does the jetway staff manually lift the door into the ceiling?

I've been able to view pretty much every other type of aircraft's door operation but never have gotten to see the 767. I've only recently seen it from the exterior and it is where the catering crew is lifting the door into the ceiling.

Thanks Again!

[AJ]

At Qantas once the aerobridge is attached to the aircraft the ground agent will knock on the door and get a thumbs up from the CSM.

The external handle is then raised which 'cracks' the door, the top moves inwards about four inches and the door lifts about three inches. The ground agent then uses the toggle switch to fully open the door electrically. Once open the door sits on a mechanical uplock so the motor is disengaged.

[Crism]

I believe that some versions of the ERJ and CRJ are the same way. I don't hear a motor when the door is closed, but it looks like the F/A is pressing a button to close it. It appears this way on the Dash 8 as well, but we hold the door shut until the arm goes down. Not sure...I'll have to check it out.

[AJ]

I grabbed a sequence whilst at Narita of a caterer opening door L2:

1. Knock on the door,
2. Raise the handle, looking to ensure the girt bar is detatched (should happen automatically if opened from the outside whilst armed),
3. Occupational health approved crouch and raise door,
4. Push door all the way to the uplatch.

[ptbodale]

I grabbed a sequence whilst at Narita of a caterer opening door L2:
1. Knock on the door,
2. Raise the handle, looking to ensure the girt bar is detatched (should happen automatically if opened from the outside whilst armed),
3. Occupational health approved crouch and raise door,
4. Push door all the way to the uplatch.

Nice to see the guy use the proper process. No injuries if you do it right!