AIRBUS TRAINING VIDEO SHOWING STANDARD COCKPIT-DOOR PROCEDURES, INCLUDING FOR EMERGENCIES...

THERE ARE REPORTS THAT ALLEGE THE COCKPIT DOOR ON THE GERMANWINGS AIRBUS WHICH MYSTERIOUSLY CRASHED IN THE FRENCH ALPS WAS LOCKED AND THAT THE PILOT TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO ENTER.

HERE'S A VIDEO MADE BY AIRBUS WHICH SHOWS THE STANDARD PROCEDURES FOR OPENING THE COCKPIT DOOR - INCLUDING PROCEDURES TO USE DURING EMERGENCIES, SUCH AS WHEN THE PILOTS ARE INCAPACITATED.

HMMM... AFTER I WATCHED THE VIDEO (BELOW) IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THE PILOT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR....

I WONDER WHY THE DOOR FAILED TO RESPOND TO THE EMERGENCY OPENING PROCEDURES????

ANY IDEAS OUT THERE???????

ALSO: BECAUSE THE DOOR OPENS INWARDLY, IT IS NOT LIKELY (IN MY MIND) THAT A CATASTROPHIC DECOMPRESSION OF THE COCKPIT WOULD HAVE FORCED THE DOOR TO REMAIN CLOSED - AS THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN LOWER AIR PRESSURE IN THE COCKPIT THAN THE CABIN AND THE DOOR SHOULD HAVE OPENED. (UNLESS THE INCOMING WIND FROM A BROKEN WINDSCREEN COULD HAVE KEPT THE DOOR SHUT.)

I THINK THIS MIGHT MEAN THAT THE CO-PILOT HAD TO HAVE DELIBERATELY PREVENTED THE DOOR FROM OPENING...

WATCH THE VIDEO AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF: