Violent clash inside the cockpit of a flight coming from Dubai to Tel Aviv

The incident of FZ1073 flight coming from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Israel on Wednesday has sparked a new debate regarding the safety inside the cockpit.

It is being said that the co-pilot attacked the pilot and seriously injured him and he was trying to take control of the flight.

First of all let us know what is a cockpit?

The cockpit is the front part of the aircraft, from where the pilot operates and controls the aircraft. In commercial aviation it is also called flight deck. The US Federal Aviation Administration uses both terms in the same sense.

What happens inside the cockpit?

The cockpit of a passenger aircraft like the Boeing 737 Max generally contains the following things:

Two pilot seats: one for the captain and the other for the first officer, commonly known as the co-pilot.

Flight controls: The control column/yoke, rudder pedals, and thrust levers, which are used to turn the aircraft, raise, lower, and control engine power.

Digital screens and instruments: These display information such as altitude, speed, direction, engine status, aircraft location, weather/radar and warning messages.

Communications equipment: Radio systems that allow pilots to communicate with air traffic control, airline operations, and cabin crew.

Navigation and automation systems: These include flight management systems and autopilot controls.

Checklist, emergency controls, and safety equipment: There is often an additional observer or jump seat behind the two pilots' seats.

The cockpit is separated from the passenger cabin by a strong and usually lockable door. Entry in this is limited to authorized flight crew.

Under highly controlled circumstances, another authorized person, such as an off-duty pilot in an observer seat, may also be permitted to enter.

The purpose of this security system is to prevent passengers or any unauthorized person from taking control of the aircraft.

This is why an incident involving a pilot already present in the cockpit is viewed as an insider threat rather than a general cockpit security breach.

What has been known so far?

Flydubai's Boeing 737 Max 8 going from Dubai to Tel Aviv, with 174 people on board. The flight was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia after an alleged violent clash in the cockpit.

It was told that during this time the co-pilot attacked the captain with a knife. Passengers and crew members subdued the alleged attacker while two flydubai positioning pilots on board the aircraft took control of the aircraft and landed it.

The plane first sent the normal emergency code of 7700 and then sent the 7500 code, which is an indication of unlawful interference. After this, Israeli fighter planes were alerted.

Importantly, authorities and the airline have not yet publicly established what the motive for the attack was, whether it was related to terrorism, the identity or location of the weapon, or how it reached the cockpit.

Israel's assessment may change further, but Netanyahu said it was too early to say whether Iran was involved or not. Flydubai said the root causes of the incident remain unknown until the investigation is completed.

two person cockpit rule

The two-person cockpit rule means that two authorized people must be present on the flight deck at all times.

If an operating pilot temporarily leaves the cockpit, such as to the restroom or for some other operational reason, a member of the cabin crew remains in the cockpit until he or she returns.

This policy received renewed attention following the Germanwings Flight 9525 incident in 2015. In that incident, the co-pilot had stopped the captain from coming inside after he had left the cockpit.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had initially appealed to airlines to have two authorized people on the flight deck.

This position was relaxed in 2016 and now the presence of two people is again supported as the preferred arrangement. However, this is not a uniform and binding rule applicable all over the world. It is mandatory in many countries including America, China and Japan.

The two-person rule does not mean two qualified pilots being present at all times.

A typical commercial flight already has two licensed pilots at the controls.

The extra person rule refers to a situation where one of the pilots leaves the cockpit.

Keeping a third qualified pilot on every short- or medium-haul flight would be a different and more expensive arrangement.

This may increase the robustness of the system in case a pilot is injured or incapacitated, but it does not automatically prevent a mutual attack between two people.

In this incident, the presence of two off-duty pilots was a huge advantage. It is being told that they were traveling for crew-positioning, which is called deadheading.

737 MAX and cockpit security

There is no public indication that the incident was caused by any design problem with the Boeing 737 Max.

Security questions relate to access to the flight deck, crew screening, weapons control, and response to insider threats.

Modern large passenger aircraft, including the 737 Max, operate under cockpit security standards implemented after 9/11.

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards require aircraft to have a reinforced flight deck door designed to protect against forced entry as well as small arms bullets and grenade shrapnel.

Normally, the cockpit door remains locked from the time boarding is completed and the aircraft's external doors are closed until the aircraft reopens after landing. However, authorized entry is allowed.

Pilots can lock and unlock the doors and monitor the area beyond the doors from both seats on the flight deck. Cabin crew can request entry via an access keypad.

In many aircraft, if there is no response from the pilot, the system may allow entry after a set time, unless the pilot actively prevents entry.

New passenger aircraft built for American airlines are required to have an additional barrier to protect the space ahead of the main cockpit door when it opens.

This rule of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) applies to future aircraft and is not mandatory for every old aircraft.

These security layers are highly effective against a passenger attempting to enter the cockpit. But it would not be very effective against a pilot already inside the cockpit. That's why this case, if the report is confirmed, is an insider-risk case.

insider threat

ICAO defines insider threat as the risk that aviation personnel use their authorized access or privileged information to carry out or facilitate unlawful interference.

This may include employees, contractors, temporary workers, and others who have access to restricted areas or sensitive information.

ICAO also warns that profiling should not be done too simply to identify insider threats. Insider threats may arise from deliberate malice, ideological motives, pressure, vendetta, or economic pressure, but can also arise from carelessness, complacency, fatigue, poor monitoring, and non-compliance with procedures.

After 9/11, aviation security systems were redesigned primarily to prevent external attackers attempting to gain access to the cockpit.

A strong door can stop an attacker outside the cockpit, but it cannot protect one pilot inside the cockpit from another. The FZ1073 incident, if confirmed as reported, highlights this remaining risk.

investigation of pilots

The weapon in this case has not been confirmed yet. A cockpit crash ax has been mentioned as a possibility, which could be placed on the aircraft to provide emergency exit or access to a fire behind a panel.

It is not necessary that the weapon be carried concealed through the security check of passengers.

Investigators may also consider other possibilities-

Improper use of an approved emergency tool inside the cockpit.

Differences in crew access routes and screening arrangements that are separate from passenger security screening.

Deficiencies in staff screening, random screening, secondary screening or restricted-area access control.

Taking a prohibited item into the airside area by a person with authorized access.

ICAO guidelines specifically state that people other than passengers and their carry-on luggage should also be screened before entering security-restricted areas.

This explains the need for random and unpredictable screening, because employees with insider knowledge might otherwise learn how to bypass routine security checks.

Code 7500 and emergency landing

Transponder squawk is a four-digit code that the aircraft sends to air traffic control.

7500 stands for Unlawful Interference, which is generally called hijack code. 7600 is for failure in radio communication.

7700 General Emergencies Means the aircraft is given immediate priority for any emergency, whether medical, technical, fire, control problems or any other threat.

Code 7500 does not by itself prove that hijacking in the traditional sense has occurred. This indicates that someone may be interfering with the aircraft illegally.

This could include attempted hijacking, violent intrusion into the cockpit, applying pressure, or any other hostile act that jeopardizes control of the aircraft.

This code is important because the crew can use it to silently alert controllers when normal voice communications are not safe.

This is a politically sensitive route, which was made after the Abraham Accords. The plane was carrying a large number of Israeli passengers and was diverted to Saudi Arabia, which has not established diplomatic relations with Israel.

After the 7500 signal, Israel reportedly increased its air defense posture, while Saudi Arabia became a country with the right to immediate landing, medical aid and investigation.

The incident also raises a number of questions for the UAE, Israel and Saudi Arabia, including passenger security, aviation-routing arrangements, intelligence sharing and access to investigative information with the suspect.

The flight path and the security environment in the region make geopolitical motives a legitimate aspect of the investigation, but the motive for the attack has not yet been established.