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I don't think so, but the 2nd person arriving when one pilot leaves, makes sense. In the old days there was a navigator, or some other 3rd person, but not any more.
The articles I've read say the US requires 2 people in the cockpit at all times, so usually a flight attendant sits in the cockpit if one of the pilots has to step out for some reason.
Every time you step into a public conveyance from a taxi to a jetliner, you have to trust that the operator does not have a death wish. With millions of flights per year, the odds are minuscule, but this incident will have that thought crossing the minds of many passengers from now on.
Seems to have been a suicide, or a possibly a case of psychosis (marijuana induced?) but it remains to be proven.
This is one drawback to having terrorist-proof cockpit doors. Once they are locked, no one gets in. Maybe there should be a remote switch where the ground control can unlock it in situations like this.
How would you contact the person with the remote switch?
No they ruled out heart attack because his breathing was normal. Plus, why would he lock the door???
The door is locked by a switch on the console.
German law allows pilots to leave the cockpit temporarily while cruising. I bet they take a strong look at that rule after this incident. Pilots though still have to use the facilities, since there are none in the cabin.
Some airlines require a crew member to step into the cockpit to have two people in there at all times.
"Our thoughts and our prayers are with our friends in Europe, especially the people of Germany and Spain, following the terrible airplane crash in France," U.S. President Barack Obama told reporters. "It's particularly heartbreaking because it apparently includes the loss of so many children, some of them infants."
I wasn't able to find his quote about it not being terrorism yet. Maybe you can direct me.
I am leaning right now towards the 'depressed' co-pilot theory (at least, it is my theory). Who knows, he may have had an ex-wife or girlfriend on the plane.
Seems like if it was 'terrorism' (i.e., the co-pilot was a member of a terrorist group) then those responsible would issue some statement or video claiming 'he was ours, beware!'.
One thought I had: what if this is a new type of 'quiet' terrorism wherein the group(s) responsible wanted to create havoc and massive loss of life before claiming responsibility by causing, through 'sleeper cell' members piloting planes, multiple such crashes in a short time period.
Of course, this theory has huge holes in it, such as them having the foresight to have members attend pilot school, getting hired, etc.
No they ruled out heart attack because his breathing was normal. Plus, why would he lock the door???
Agreed, I gave it a shot, but I cannot think of any other rational possibility. It seem like this was a deliberate act to murder everyone on board.
We really need to find out who this copilot was and what might have motivated him.
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