Could someone accomplish entry with an axe, considering how tough cockpit doors are?
Do planes carry axes?
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I heard they are bulletproof steel reinforced, so I would guess no (but I'm far from being an expert in anything but being a passenger). Follow up question though, instead of focusing on the door, can't you just hack through the dividing hull? It's a life or death situation, if you accidentally cut up some electronics, who cares? As long as you get a chance to survive, I mean. – JustSid Mar 29 '15 at 14:58
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3Towards what end? Why restrict this to a pilot doing this? Why not ask "could an axe be used to bypass a locked cabin door". – Scary Spice Mar 29 '15 at 15:33
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Mainly because my unedited question was referring to the 4U crash, but yes that would make sense – Genocide Mar 29 '15 at 15:44
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2The best solution is to go around the door. Forget breaking it. – Peter Kämpf Mar 29 '15 at 17:09
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The best solution is to remove the passengers. Then the door is not needed any more - less weight on board. More seriously, though, I am starting to think reinforced doors were a temporary measure that have never really addressed the underlying security problem. – ALAN WARD Jul 27 '15 at 09:01
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Axes are not carried in the cabin and the door is designed to resist attack using tools available in the cabin
Fire/crash axe/crowbar. Fire axes were provided to obtain emergency access to areas and parts of the airplane which are not easily accessible (e.g. behind sidewall, electrical or ceiling panels). The handle is insulated to protect against electric shock. In the past, fire axes might be found in the flight deck and in the passenger cabin but on most carriers, in compliance with anti-terrorism regulations and procedures, axes are no longer carried and have been replaced by insulated crowbars in the passenger/cargo compartment.
RedGrittyBrick
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