Pilot locked out of cockpit prior to germanwings crash.

[nofearfactor]

That is normal procedure on American flights, always to have two people occupy the cockpit at all times, other parts of the world do not follow this protocol.

This...

 

[Glocktogo]

They can't lock themselves out. At least thats what I thought. Sooooo

Unintended consequences. Post 9/11, all cockpit doors were reinforced, which made the "crew key" to the door obsolete. The protocol is for the cockpit crewmember leaving the cockpit to use the peephole and/or cabin crew to ensure no one is near the door upon exit, then the other cockpit crewmember relocks it after them. Works fine, except... something happens to the remaining pilot and there's not much that can be done.

Now you could surmise the co-pilot might've suffered a medical emergency, but that wouldn't explaing disengaging the autopilot in mid-flight. So most likely it was homicide/suicide by pilot.

 

[Jestik]

Ouch. That stinks. I feel sorry for those that lost loved-ones.

 

[nofearfactor]

Theyre saying on the news now that they have new info and it looks like that the co-pilot intentionally crashed the jet. Plus, I remember reading last night that the 2nd black box they recovered at the crash sight- the memory card was missing. Could he have removed it somehow? Would he have known how to even do that? The plane had just been serviced before the flight. Weird...

 

[dennishoddy]

Mass murder investigation is the call from officials.

 

[nofearfactor]

We're changing courses and canceling all plans for a big trip some where this summer and just goin to Branson or KC or some where close like we always do. F it. Not flying, taking a train, a bus, a boat, nuttin. Driving us there myself then right back home.

 

[cjjtulsa]

Hope it wasn't a peaceful Muslim. I betting it turns out he was, a peaceful muzlim that was just misunderstood

In the meantime, Lubitz, a 28-year-old German, manually set the plane on the descent that drove it into the mountain.

Nope. Misunderstood Jewish terrorist?

 

[Wheel Gun]

Lots of children on that flight. It's one cold murderer who would watch families and children board that plane and then intentionally kill them all. This is a special category of evil.

 

[SMS]

Crazy…and sickening.

 

[SoonerATC]

The flights I've been on. I've seen one of the flight attendants enter the cockpit when one of the flight crew go to the rest room. I'm assuming this is a preventative measure to ensure one of the pilots can get back in just in case.

Yes, but more for incapacitation reasons than the flight attendant preventing the remaining pilot from locking the other pilot out. If one pilot steps out, and the remaining pilot has a heart attack, there will be someone left to open the door for the one who stepped out.