Door warning passing through 80 knots

[minitour]

Originally Posted by rjmore

747-400

Looks like they (the cargo doors closed indicating systems) can be MEL'd. The MMEL is on the web here http://fsims.faa.gov/PICResults.aspx...n&doctype=MMEL .

...and it's a freakin novel.

-mini

[E_Dawg]

Add me to the 'go' pile. Door lights are nororious, especially ones with big INOP letters covering them. An abort IS a big deal even with 3000' of supposed wiggle room (on paper. on a dry runway)

[rjmore]

For the -400 any of the door open messages are either a caution or advisory. The passenger doors (all 10 of them) are an advisory and are actually able to be opened in flight for smoke evac purposes (hate to be the poor FA who had to do it though!).

Anyway, above 80 knots all cautions are inhibited anyway so we wouldn't know about it until the inhibit is gone (400'). So basically, prior to 80 knots, a cargo door coming open would be an abort as it would trigger a master caution. After 80 knots we would find out about it airborne. Our QRH calls for setting the cabin alt to 8,000-8,500 feet and leveling off at or below that altitude. While it doesn't directly say to land it is assumed because who is gonna tool around at 8,000 ft. all day in a 747.

I know of at least one hull loss in a 747 due to a cargo door coming open in flight and that lead to a design change.

As for the MEL, I'll look our up. All of our manuals are on the aircraft and online but I couldn't download it earlier. I have a paper set but not the DDG (dispatch deviation guide), which is a fancy name for the MEL/CDL. I'll look it up in there as well but I'm sure there is a procedure in there somewhere.

Anyway, back to where we were, 80 kts is a key and aircraft type is as well. In the original posters case, as I said before, it would be a PIC decision and I don't think you could fault someone for going either way in that particular case.

Update: The procedure is basically the same as the OP used and I have used on every other type I've flown. Visually inspect that the door is closed then you can go. I don't have access to the actual MX procedure so I'm not sure if they would deactivate the sensors on that door or not but I would assume that they do. That's what it all boils down to, if it is MEL'd then the sensor should be deactivated to prevent an unnecessary caution or warning.

[scooter2525]

I'm a go for the door as well. In training, we were taught that if the nose baggage door goes, STOP. That will more likely do damage if you continue then if you locked em up on centerline. On a cabin door in the aircraft I fly, sometimes cargo can shift and if it pushes just right on the door, the light will come on, even if the door is secured. Training dept said continue, circle and land. Don't abort for the cabin, but for the nose... hit the brakes. Actually.. that comes from two different training departments on the same type.

[gne in prog]

Originally Posted by minitour

Sorry for the thread hijack, Captain. But...




Mike, you aware of anyone up in the APA or COS area hiring? Got a buddy just moved up there from the ISM area looking for work.

-mini

I haven't heard of any jobs out this way in a long time, though I know of at least 3 airplanes that have been sold in the past couple of months. I heard key lime, where no one should work, let some people go.

[Screaming_Emu]

I'm assuming the MEL has something along the lines of "the pilot will visually verify the door is closed"

If that's the case, I'm going. We checked the door before we left and it was closed. The door warning system isn't working anyway so shouldn't be relied upon.

Now if the door system wasn't MELed...at least on my airplane I'd stop. On a 7000 ft runway you'd have plenty of room to stop a CRJ-700. Also if the main passenger door on the CRJ opens in flight I seriously doubt it would stay on the airplane. And something that big could do some pretty serious damage to the wing, gear, engine, etc.

[minitour]

Originally Posted by gne in prog

I haven't heard of any jobs out this way in a long time, though I know of at least 3 airplanes that have been sold in the past couple of months. I heard key lime, where no one should work, let some people go.

Thanks for the info. I'll pass it along.

-mini