2023-06-15 09:55:00
In the future, aircraft will need new protection against intruders trying to get into the cockpit. This was decided by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). There are already solutions – also from Germany.
In industry jargon they are called IPSB. The abbreviation stands for Installed Physical Secondary Barrier and describes a permanently installed barrier physical barrier. After five years of discussion, the US Federal Aviation Administration made them mandatory on Wednesday (June 14). «Between the opening and closing of the cockpit door, the open cockpit is vulnerable to some degree of attack. Such an attack could happen quickly, leaving the cabin crew with insufficient time to respond.”
According to the new regulation, newly built commercial aircraft must have a second barrier between the passenger cabin and the cockpit from the summer of 2025. It must be active when the flight deck door (the first lock) is opened during flight, for example when staff need to go to the toilet. Until now, crews blocked access makeshift, for example by placing a serving trolley in front of the access to the cockpit. The second barrier should not only deter terrorists, but also aggressive passengers.
Cost of around $35,000 per plane
Various solutions are already available on the market – some from Germany. The manufacturer Schroth from Arnsberg in Sauerland sells a net in a frame. “Extra-strong, extremely cut-resistant” material is used, as stated in the sales documents. It offers excellent visibility, is ultra-light and takes up little space. And the locking mechanism allows “simple and time-saving operation by the crew,” says Schroth.
The British manufacturer Amsafe Bridport offers a very similar system. Its net, which comes without a frame, is also light, cut-resistant, strong and offers good visibility. The FAA generally estimates the cost of purchasing and installing the second barrier to be around $35,000 per aircraft.
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