An American senator doesn’t seem to be satisfied with the current safety standards on aircraft and is hoping to reinforce the division between pilot and passengers with a wire cage.
Ummm, did anyone else just picture a couple of chickens wearing pilots hats?
It’s no breaking news that the rules of aviation have tightened over the last few years in response to increasing terror threats and pilot suicides.
Following 9/11, pilots were forbidden from letting civilians into the cockpit and were required to keep the cockpit door locked at all times. More recently, the Germanwings pilot suicide promoted airlines to roll out a ‘rule of two’ whereby two people need to be in the cockpit at all times (either two pilots or one pilot and one cabin crew).
These changes don’t seem to have satisfied US Senator Bob Casey who has pushed forward a proposal to the Federal Aviation Administration that all planes should have a second barrier installed between pilot and passengers.
Speaking to Times Leader, he explained that the “commonsense measure” would prevent “anyone from getting to the flight deck when the cockpit door is open”.
Senator Casey said ideally the second gate would be made from “light weight wire-mesh” and could cost around $3,000 to $5,000 to install.
“[It would be] locked into place and blocks access to the flight deck.”
Bob Casey, US Senator
The senator has called for US Congress to approve the bill and have it passed on to President Barack Obama as soon as possible.
