The US Federal Aviation Administration has claimed full compliance with its 9 April deadline for equipping commercial aircraft serving the USA with hardened cockpit doors. FAA administrator Marion Blakey says 10,000 aircraft worldwide - 5,800 in the USA - now have the new cockpit doors fitted.
Following 11 September 2001, any aircraft with 20 or more passenger seats was required by the US government to be equipped with a security-enhanced flightdeck door.
Boeing and partners Aim Aviation and C&D Aerospace have made more than 4,300 kits, for which airlines paid between $26,000 and $40,000 a door. Airbus has distributed more than 1,800 kits, costing from $23,000 to $55,000 per aircraft
Source: Flight International