Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
This area on a 150/1 (the only 150s where the crew door isn't interlocked) is not accessible to the public.
If you've ever tried it (might have as a kid, ahem) you can only crack open classic air operated sliding doors. It's enough to break interlock, but you can't get them open enough to fall out, maybe only a few inches. No more risk than an open hopper window. The reason for them being like this is to allow a trapped limb, jacket or piece of luggage to be pulled out.
Way back when I've been on a 150 in Bolton when it started moving with all doors open, but that was downhill (no power) and in the days when it was just power interlock, now there's brake interlock too.
The one I was on, the kids got the doors about two foot apart. Perhaps it was faulty. Aren't they simply held shut by air pressure?
They are held shut by air pressure but it's quite powerful. Aircraft doors are held closed by air pressure (unless misaligned due to missing bolts, yes, you, Boeing) and opening one is basically impossible.
Could have been faulty or maybe 150 doors differ from PEP doors. With the 507/508, the doors (with the original mechanisms, I can't remember if they do now) close to a "catch" about 3" apart, then slow for the final closure, presumably again to avoid trapping issues. You could (allegedly) only pull them as far as that "catch" before the pressure was too great to go any further. I did think 150s had the same feature (I've never, er, allegedly, tried) but maybe not.
As an adult I'm obviously not stupid enough to do something like this so I can only speak from the alleged (!) perspective of a 12 year old