Flydubai Pilot Attack Highlights Internal Threats to Aviation Security

A security incident aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia, has raised questions about how a co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with a knife. While details are still emerging, reports suggest the co-pilot, an Omani national, initiated a violent struggle in the cockpit, causing the Boeing 737 MAX to drop significantly. Four Israeli passengers reportedly assisted in subduing the attacker. Passenger accounts largely described the use of a knife, though some reports also mentioned an axe.

The incident has led to speculation that the co-pilot smuggled a weapon through security. However, the article explains that pilots do not need to smuggle such items, as emergency axes are standard equipment in commercial aircraft cockpits, readily accessible for fire emergencies. Similarly, knives can be part of meal service cutlery provided to pilots in the cockpit. These items are not subject to passenger-style security screening.

Emergency axes are primarily kept on aircraft to combat fires, which are a serious and increasingly common threat, partly due to lithium battery fires. The axe allows crew to breach panels and access hidden fires. The article emphasizes that a significant threat to aviation security comes from within, from trained personnel like pilots who already have legitimate access and the means to cause harm, as tragically demonstrated by the 2015 Germanwings crash where a co-pilot intentionally crashed the plane.

The cockpit door, designed to be reinforced and bulletproof, remained locked during the Flydubai incident. While there is an emergency code to enter the cockpit, it is intended for situations where pilots are incapacitated and can be overridden by those inside. The article notes that some airlines have implemented procedures where a flight attendant enters the cockpit when a pilot leaves, to prevent a single pilot from being alone, a practice more common in the US than elsewhere. Despite background checks and psychological evaluations for pilots, especially after the Germanwings disaster, these measures are not foolproof.