It seems that pilots can lock themselves out of a cockpit, which requires entering an aircraft much like you’d enter your home if you forget a key: through a window. For a pair of Delta pilots, that involved some crawling to reach the 737 flight deck.
Video: Delta Pilots Crawling Into 737 Cockpit Through Window
A rather hilarious video has emerged of a Delta pilot using a luggage conveyor belt to enter the window of a Boeing 737 aircraft. As the pilot struggles to enter head first, his co-pilot gives him a helping hand, eventually pushing him in through the window and then guiding his legs to get him fully inside.
ok, who forgot the keys?! 😂✈️ pic.twitter.com/VYXDdlZA2o
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) May 11, 2022
Why was this even necessary? If you’ve ever taken a close look at at the onboard entrance to the flight deck, you’ve noticed that there is a numerical key pad in which pilots can input a code to enter the flight deck. Couldn’t the pilots have just entered the cockpit that way?
I asked 121Pilot, our resident pilot on Live and Let’s Fly, about this and he told me that if power to the plane was shut off, the keypad would also likely not be functional. He flies an Airbus rather than a Boeing, but explained:
At least on the Airbus if the plane was fully shut down and external power turned off in the cockpit if the cockpit door was closed you might be locked out.
There are some systems that can be powered on from a switch outside the cockpit but I’m not sure the door is one.
He added that he was not aware of a way to enter the cockpit through the window on an Airbus, so it is a good thing this was a Boeing.
Thus, it seems to me the pilots were indeed locked out, but found that entering via the window was easier than hooking the plane up to power. Probably a lot quicker too.
Still, it brings to mind the classic “do planes have keys?” sketch by Jerry Seinfeld:
CONCLUSION
Two Delta pilots are captured in a video struggling to crawl into a 737 cockpit. Yes indeed, it seems they really were locked out and found crawling in more expedient than turning on the auxiliary power unit.
(H/T: View From The Wing)
Some thing else was going on. Cockpit windows on the 737 can not be opened from the outside.
Actually, the window can be opened. Google it.
Yes it can, It has an emergency window release just below the window, I work on this plane everyday.
Ok. Since you work on this plane, what’s the serial # of it?
I think this was just a practice training exercise. The pilot probably said okay let’s practice this in case of an emergency. Pilots ultimately have the authority to do out- of- the- ordinary things with their aircraft, I’m assuming.
No. Pilots do not have blanket authority to make up scenarios and play them out on certificated airliners. Unless there was someone unconscious and in serious danger in the locked cockpit, there is no conceivable reason to do this. (25,000 airline pilot with 6,000 command time in B737s).
This makes the most sense of all the replies I’ve read.
You can’t open the cockpit windows from the outside. Maintenance would have needed to actually remove the window but if they remove the window the aircraft is grounded for 24 hours because it takes at 20 24 hours for the bonding agent to cure.
So what do you think is going on here?
I don’ t know what is going on, but I do know you can not open the cockpit window on a 737 from the outside.
You sure can on the first officers side. It’s in the Delta 737 Volume 2 manual. 1.5.9.4 for reference.
Yes you can, the release is below the FO #2 window.
I can tell you it would be easier to put external power on the aircraft than climb through the window. Pilots are problem solvers but sometimes that overpowers good sense. I can’t recall for sure, but if battery power is available, the cockpit door should be powered. If not, call maintenance.
737 FO-side only has an external emergency window release mechanism. There’s even a picture of it on the Twitter feed linked in this article.
Hooking up power wouldn’t do anything without the ext bus power enabled.
But did he remember to turn off Air Drop in his phone settings?
With power off the flight deck door automatically unlocks, door solinoid is always powered in the locked position, possibly the crew left the flight deck and the door accidentally shut and the wrong code was input 3 times, which case the system locks out for 30 minutes.
Why did either or both access via the window? Why flight crew? Surely only one person, who needs not be Captain or FO could have entered to open the flight deck door. Anyone else could have then entered as normal.
Isn’t the GPU engaged from the cockpit? Thanks for the reply @Joe
GPU is engaged from the cockpit but cabin power is engaged from inside the cabin and the cockpit power doesn’t need to be on for that. I don’t know if the cabin power system runs the cockpit door though (I suspect not). I used to be a supervisor for Southwest.
He just wanted to be like Dale Earnhardt and get in NASCAR style!
Word
I am sure per the AMM The flight crew and Delta had a licensed A&P came out to inspect the window and the locking mechanism after this??? This is a maintenance task not a flight crew procedure. Or did the crew just file an ASAP report.
737s with the Jamco doors have a manual lock switch adjacent to the door which is the only way they could have been locked out. If the aircraft is powered down the door normally unlocks. Maintenance would usually be called for this issue, my guess is that this was an out-station and the flight crew either didn’t have or weren’t willing to wait for contract maintenance support.
Seriously. What a dumb ass crew? How do you know how the plane works if ur flying it?? Pull power, open door, turn power on. Ask any aircraft mech
“Dumb ass crew” let me guess you that special mechanic trotting around the aircraft with a spanner up your ass thinking you are gods gift to aviation that every pilot despises because you think you are better than anyone else. I’m sure they are well more qualified than you are spanner jockey. And why blame the pilots, no one knows what the issue is, it could be a technical issue with the door that’s forced the crew to do this, love how when things happen in a plane incident/accident every one immediately assumes the pilots messed up. And as the title states, “hilarious” this isn’t actually hilarious or funny, they are probably putting their lives on the line and jobs and career on the line trying to get into the aircraft using that baggage conveyer, and probably at no fault of their own.
Any Aircraft Mechanic says you do not have a working knowledge of the B737 aircraft.
Maybe the galley cart came loose and slammed the door shut.
This is only a drill! Haha
This is NOT A DRILL.
REPEAT: THIS IS NOT A DRILL!
Can’t open 737 cockpit windows from outside.
There’s more to this story. Why not use gpu
Luggage conveyor belt? They are called belt loaders.
Thanks.
121Pilot is incorrect. The cockpit door locks disengage if AC power is not available. Disconnect ground power, shutdown the APU (can also be done from the external power panel) and the door unlocks.
Shutting down the Apu from the outside would only accomplish draining the battery the door lock operates off the battery buss and you have to access the cockpit to switch that off. They are probably at an outstation with no maintenance. If they had a mechanic he could disconnect the batteries but what they are doing is the most efficient way of getting into the cockpit at an outstation with a locked door with the power off and the battery switch on. Hooking up power will do nothing since you need to be in the cockpit to connect the power to the aircraft system it’s not automatic like some other a/c.
It works exactly the opposite way: without AC power the door OPENS automatically.
I’m apalled by the lack of knowledge of the guy the editor asked for clarification, it’s a bit scary he allegedly flies an Airbus.
What a stupid article.
Those windows cannot be opened from outside. And it takes about 5 seconds to plug in ground power on an airplane. It’s often done even before the engines are turned off upon arrival. Maybe get your facts straight before saying they locked themselves in/out.
It’s only stupid because you don’t understand it. Yoo can open the FO window from outside. Release is below.
I find it hilarious that you are telling someone to get their facts straight when you so obviously don’t have a clue about the facts. It is actually very easy to get locked out of the cockpit of a b737. The general scenario is plane comes in pilots forget to disengage the door lock. They hook up ground power shut down the apu . They leave the cockpit and don’t turn off the battery because that’s normal. Then along comes a cleaner who closes the cockpit door to access the fwd bathroom. Still no big deal but along comes someone outside who turns off ground power or wiggles the cord the wrong way and power drops. Now you have a locked door no power to the door unlock panel. But the lock actuator is powered by the battery and the battery switch is in the cockpit. You say simple put the power back on the airplane. Only problem is that the switch to apply the power to the airplane is Right you guessed it IN THE COCKPIT.
Obviously, it was just for practice. Nothing hilarious
The picture is fake just never happened
Pilots are not idiots
Not fake.
I was on this flight. The pilots announced that they could not enter the cockpit as the door could not be opened. Maintenance then came on and fixed the door prior to us boarding. Had a short delay in departure time
Appreciate this clarification.
I’ve worked in Aviation long enough to know that anything is possible, who knows why the door is closed and unable to be opened. Doesn’t really matter, you gotta do what you gotta do to get in the airplane.
Whoops?
Look at all these armchair experts. I’m surprised they’re wasting their time here when they could be out flying the 737 they have in their garage.
They are….
Tyler, That was funny! I fly jets and don’t have a clue how one gets into a 737 but savor a wisecrack with the best of them