AIRCRAFT GENERAL, COCKPIT
Description
Aircraft Operations Manual
1/2.1
S2
PAGE
19
Jun 30/15
6.
COCKPIT DOOR
6.1
General
To meet new requirements for protection of cockpit
and cockpit crew from intrusion by unauthorized
personnel, Saab 340 aircraft have been fitted with a
reinforced cockpit door. In addition to a complete
lack of means of opening the door from the cabin
side, the door also provides protection from forced
entry, including such attempted entry by use of bat-
tering instruments and large
−
caliber handguns.
6.2
Main components
The door is constructed of reinforced composite
board to withstand intrusion force, with ballistic ma-
terial added to forward face (i.e., cockpit side). As
noted above, tests have proven the door’s capabili-
ty of resisting repeated battering by weighted
sledge, and repeated impact from large
−
caliber
handgun rounds.
The lock pintle and barrel assembly and door hinge
are reinforced to resist intrusion. The door can only
be locked or unlocked from the cockpit, by means
of a spring
−
loaded pintle and latch. A short nylon
lanyard is provided to assist in closing of the door
by aircrew.
The pressure equalization panel (”blowout panel”)
fitted in the cockpit door is constructed of non
−
rein-
forced material. However, on the cockpit side of the
cockpit door, a built
−
up cage assembly is fitted to
prevent entry
−
including partial entry
−
into the
cockpit should the ”blowout” panel be compromised.
The forward face (i.e., cockpit side) of this cage in-
cludes a panel made from ballistic material to resist
gunfire, etc.
Also, on either side of the cockpit entryway, immedi-
ately adjacent to the metal cage, two panels made
from ballistic are fitted to protect aircrew from fire-
arm discharge.
The cockpit door jamb is reinforced by a heavy
−
gauge aluminum abutment. The abutment angle is
attached to the cockpit side of the door jamb by
three clevis pins, thus allowing removal of the abut-
ment angle by aircrew in event door must be
opened inward.
A large, clear
−
vision, armored
−
glass sight window
is fitted to allow observation of the passenger cabin
from the cockpit. A cover is fitted to the sight win-
dow on the cockpit side of the door, to prevent
viewing of cockpit from cabin side of door
6.3
Normal Operation
As stated above, the cockpit door cannot be
opened, or latched closed, from the passenger cab-
in side of the door.
−
To close door, either aircrew member pulls door
towards closed position via the nylon lanyard. To
engage the latch, lift up the small rounded knob
to release the pintle latch lever, and slide the
pintle latch lever inboard. Pull the door to the
closed position, release the rounded knob, and
pintle will latch closed. Proper latching of the
pintle is indicated by observation of the green
band painted above the rounded knob. Attempt
to slide the pintle latch lever inboard to ensure
proper latching
−
if latched properly, the lever will
not move.
−
To open the door, lift up on the rounded knob,
and slide the pintle latch lever inboard. Door can
now be pushed open.
There is no longer any installed means of latch-
ing the door in the open position.
NOTE
−
To observe the passenger cabin, rotate the sight
window cover either right or left to uncover the
window. DO NOT attempt to lift the cover, as
damage to the cover attach point will occur.
6.4
Abnormal Operation
In event that cockpit door cannot be opened toward
passenger cabin due to immovable obstruction on
cabin side, the door may be partially opened into
the cockpit as follows:
a. Remove the jumpseat assembly from its frame.
b. Slide the grill latch to remove the blowout panel
cage assembly removable grill (with Mod
No.3133 installed).
c. Remove the three clevis pins from the abutment
angle by pressing down the knob on the clevis
pins and pulling them out.
