Pilot locks himself out of cockpit in mid-air (real news!)

[totalmotorcycle]

Pilot locks himself out of cockpit in mid-air
By David Banks and agencies



The crew of an Air Canada passenger jet was forced to break down their cockpit door in mid-air after the pilot locked himself out when he popped to the toilet.



The bizarre incident occured with 30 minutes to go of an internal flight from the Canadian capital, Ottawa, to Winnipeg, Manitoba, when the pilot went to use the toilet at the back of the Air Canada Jazz aeroplane.

Instead of slipping back inside, he was seen banging on the door and talking to his first officer on an internal phone.

Eventually - assisted by crew members - he succeeded in taking the door off its hinges so he could get back in.

The Bombardier CRJ-100 plane was carrying about 50 passengers when the incident happened.

Manon Stuart, an Air Canada Jazz spokeswoman, said that the first officer had remained on the flight deck throughout the pilot's absence. As the first officer could have landed the flight by himself, there had been no danger, she claimed.

"To the best of our knowledge, it's the first time we've encountered this problem in-flight," she said.

She said passengers had remained calm during the incident, which took place earlier this week.

"We investigated the incident, and the crew followed standard operational procedures," she was quoted as saying. "At no time was the safety or security of passengers compromised."

Peter St. John, who teaches courses in terrorism and airline security at the University of Manitoba, which was the airline's destination, says the incident sends a troubling message to terrorists. "The pilot really shouldn't have to go to the back of the plane to have a pee," Mr St. John said.

[totalmotorcycle]

Eventually - assisted by crew members - he succeeded in taking the door off its hinges so he could get back in.

...Manon Stuart, an Air Canada Jazz spokeswoman, said that the first officer had remained on the flight deck throughout the pilot's absence. As the first officer could have landed the flight by himself, there had been no danger, she claimed.

Just a thought, but umm, did they not think to ask the first officer who was in the cabin to unlock the door?

Mike.

[CNF2002]

The airline was further embarassed when a local reporter asked the First Officer, "If you were inside, why didn't you just unlock the door for him?" to which he replied, "Oops."

Edit: Shoot Mike you answered it before me!

[totalmotorcycle]

The airline was further embarassed when a local reporter asked the First Officer, "If you were inside, why didn't you just unlock the door for him?" to which he replied, "Oops."

Edit: Shoot Mike you answered it before me!

Nothin' wrong with a good joke told twice in two different ways.



Mike

[Gadjet]

Eventually - assisted by crew members - he succeeded in taking the door off its hinges so he could get back in.

...Manon Stuart, an Air Canada Jazz spokeswoman, said that the first officer had remained on the flight deck throughout the pilot's absence. As the first officer could have landed the flight by himself, there had been no danger, she claimed.

Just a thought, but umm, did they not think to ask the first officer who was in the cabin to unlock the door?

Mike.

True enough, but if the pilot had been under threat from a hijacker, then opening the door to the cockpit would be the last thing that you would want the first officer to do, as it would then give the hijacker access to the flight controls.

In my opinion, the first officer did exactly the right thing in not opening the door.

[dr_bar]

But the article let every terrorist know that the doors can be removed...

[Shorts]

But the article let every terrorist know that the doors can be removed...

lol sets a precedent

[9000white]

But the article let every terrorist know that the doors can be removed...

just another example of the media handing terrorists information to make it easier to thwart security measures.after all mass murder makes great headlines.

[Kal]

Because terrorists are so stupid they probably hadn't thought about removing the doors...

[NorthernPete]

what did they remove the door with? I mean, you cant bring tools...or water.....on a plane anymore...and its dman hard to pull a door off the hinges with a spork.