Newsgroups: sci.aeronautics.airliners
From: drinkard@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Terrell D. Drinkard)
Subject: Re: Non-plug cabin doors
Date: 11 Aug 94 02:18:14

In article <airliners.1994.1489@ohare.chicago.com>,
B&1&2) (fly boys <ditka!sgiblab!uunet.uu.net!SSD-HB!gershzohn.gary> wrote:
>On a recent TV show profiling the B-777, I noticed that Boeing is no longer
>using plug-type doors in the cabin. Does anyone know how they guarantee
>that a passenger cannot open it in flight or that the ground crew cannot
>open it on the ground if the aircraft is pressurized?

Seems to me we've been over this before.  Karl, maybe we need a FAQ. :-)

All cabin doors in Boeing products are plug doors.  The 777 cabin doors
have gates on the top and the bottom of the door that allow it to pivot,
rotate outside the aircraft, and then translate forward on special hinges.
Those doors are no less plug doors than the doors on the 707.

For those who don't know, a plug door is one which is wider than the
body structure opening that it closes.  That is, when the door is closed,
it rests on pads on both sides of the door frame.  There are "gates" on the
top and bottom that rotate closed when the door is latched and make the
door taller than the opening as well.  However, gates are not structural,
they are there to seal the opening.

--
Terry
drinkard@bcstec.ca.boeing.com
"Anyone who thinks they can hold the company responsible for what I say has
more lawyers than sense."