US airlines are protesting at the cost of fitting reinforced cockpit doors, as some manufacturers claim Boeing's preferred supplier deal with C&D Aerospace is forcing lower-cost providers out of the market.
Airlines estimate the total cost at $20,000-26,000 per aircraft for narrowbodies, compared with the $12,000-17,000 calculated by the US Federal Aviation Administration.
The USAir Transport Association is lobbying Congress for an additional $160 million in government funding to cover the cost of installing the doors, which must be fitted by 9 April next year. Earlier this year, the FAA allocated $100 million to reimburse airlines for door reinforcement, evaluating cockpit alert schemes and testing cabin video surveillance systems.
Raisbeck Engineering, which had offered a secure door for $12,500, has left the market after customers Alaska Airlines and American Trans Air were promised early delivery of Boeing-supplied doors.
Boeing has chosen C&D as the preferred supplier of a strengthened flightdeck door for all its narrowbody aircraft, with deliveries to begin this month.
"It is only because of Boeing's stated early availability of FAA-certificated flightdeck security systems for the balance of our customers' in-service and yet-to-be-delivered aircraft that we made this move," says Raisbeck.
AAR unveiled a reinforced flightdeck door in February costing "substantially below $20,000", but since the C&D deal was announced, it has focused on Airbus and regional aircraft manufacturers, and European and Asian markets.
B/E Aerospace is continuing with certification of a secure door, which it says has been selected by two US airlines for Boeing narrowbody aircraft.
AIM Aviation is proceeding with certification of a reinforced door for the McDonnell Douglas DC-9/ Boeing MD-80 family, despite the fact that Boeing's deal with C&D includes the former McDonnell Douglas models. Jamco and other manufacturers are also still active.
Source: Flight International
