On Mar 31, 12:19 am, Mxsmanic wrote:
The Helios accident raises the question of whether or not securing the cockpit
in such a paranoid way is worthwhile. Which is more likely: pilot
incapacitation or hijack? It's an interesting question. If you protect
against one, you leave yourself open to the other.

Count the number of total crew incapacitations. Count the number of
terrorists hijacks. I think you'll find that there are far more
terrorist hijacks. Securing the cockpit in a paranoid way has other
drawbacks though. I tend to think a lot of the supposed security since
9/11 is "security theatre" - all for show but not hard for a
determined terrorist to get around.

The Helios flight crashed because nobody could get into the cockpit until the
engines ran out of fuel (which shut down electrical power and unlocked the
cockpit door), by which time it was too late. The flight attendant probably
could have landed the aircraft with radio assistance.

Nope I don't think they could have. If they were used doors that lock
electrically rather the mechanically sound rather like a bad choice to
ward off terrorists.