Depending on the type of aircraft, the door weight can range from 40 to 100 kilograms.

Depending on the type of aircraft, the door weight can range from 40 to 100 kilograms. Sounds impressive! But flight attendants usually handle it easily. Why?

✔️ The secret is in the thoughtful design.

The door is locked with special locks, and it is physically impossible to open it during flight due to the pressure difference inside and outside the cabin. But on the ground, it’s a different story!

When a flight attendant turns the handle, the door on most models first moves upward to release from the stops, then moves outward and forward at an angle parallel to the fuselage. On the Boeing 737, the mechanism is different: the door slightly moves inward to unlock the seal, then swings outward and slides sideways along the guides.

🔵 Shock absorbers and weight compensation mechanisms take on the main load — the movement is smooth. That’s why even delicate women can perform this task — strength is not the main factor here.

Although there are doors on both sides, boarding and disembarking always happen on the left. This is a historically established practice: the left side is for passengers, the right side is for service, loading, and catering. Luggage is also loaded from the right side through special cargo compartment doors. Interestingly, only a small number of aircraft models have doors that open inward.

Give a 💙, and we will continue to explore aviation in detail.