Anti Terrorism Measures to be Fitted Across bmi’s 737 and Fokker 100 Fleet
AD Aerospace of Manchester, UK, and AEI of Orlando, USA, are providing FlightVu video security systems and installation design for bmi’s Fokker 100 and bmibaby’s Boeing 737 Fleets. The CCTV cameras and flight deck pedestal monitor will enable bmi’s pilots to assess and identify any threat outside the flight deck door before allowing access.
‘We at bmi treat passenger and crew safety as a top priority, and this is why we are moving rapidly to outfit our 737 fleet with CCTV security systems,’ said Stuart Schofield engineering technical director of bmi. ‘The FlightVu system gives our pilots an excellent view of the area outside the flight deck allowing them to make a positive identification of the member of the crew requesting entry.’
bmi has moved rapidly to comply with the Department for Transport (DfT) instruction on the ICAO standard on intrusion resistant cockpit doors. The standard requires that all UK registered aircraft capable of carrying 60 passengers or more must have a means for the pilots to monitor the area outside the flight crew compartment.
These standards were introduced as a response to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. The events showed the devastating consequences of terrorists gaining control of a commercial airliner and intruder proof flight deck doors are now being fitted across the world’s airliner fleet, but these leave pilots isolated and unaware of what is occurring outside, this is where CCTV comes in to use.
‘The introduction of CCTV systems, such as FlightVu, for monitoring the cabin of an aircraft is a major step forward in passenger airliner safety,’ said Mike Horne, Managing Director, AD Aerospace. ‘This existence of secure flight deck doors and efficient CCTV surveillance not only makes a hi-jack less likely to succeed but reduces the chances of an attempt even occurring.’
The CabinVu surveillance system consists of three CCTV cameras linked to a LCD monitor mounted in the cockpit pedestal in clear view of both the pilot and co-pilot positions. The CCTV cameras are positioned above the flight deck door and either side of the front galley area giving the pilots a unobstructed view of the area outside the flight deck, enabling them to clearly identify any suspicious behavior or potential threat. The system also includes Infra Red illuminators so the area can be seen even with the cabin lights extinguished.
