The American FAA – Federal Aviation Administration announces a new obligation, according to which all new aircraft will have to be equipped with secondary doors on the cockpit, designed in such a way as to prevent unwanted entry into the cockpit when the main door is open. It is the result of a final effort that began after the 9/11 attacks, which was delayed by disagreements between unions, airlines and aircraft manufacturers.
Aircraft manufacturers have stressed that they need time to design, install and certify the new equipment, and the FAA estimates that installation will cost up to $35,000.
Secondary doors, or barriers as the FAA calls them, are designed as an obstacle that blocks access to the cockpit during the time the main cockpit door is open, mainly for crew entry/exit to use the lavatory. In announcing the new regulation, FAA Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized:
“Every day, pilots and cabin crew transport millions of Americans safely, and today we’re taking an important step forward to ensure the psychological and physical protection they deserve.”
The FAA also emphasizes that the number of reports related to unruly passengers and those who tried to enter the cockpit has increased in recent years, and that this measure is a necessary response to such events.
For now, this regulation applies exclusively to new aircraft, but not to retrofitting existing aircraft. Also, the decision applies to “…any new aircraft that is manufactured for delivery to an airline for passenger operations in the US…”.
