Can You Lock An Aircraft? Does It Have a set of Keys?

Question

Just Wondering

Does An Aircraft have any method of Locking It

Like You Lock Your Car?

Thanks

Answer 1

No paul keys are not fake and they are hardly cerimonial. Not only locks are installed on our aircraft we even change them when an employee is fired. Our 727 and Gulfstream have security systems as well. Motion sensors in the wheel wells and other stratigic places around the aircraft that call our attention to an intruded area so we can check it extra carefully during preflight. Usually the wheel wells get set off when a line guy goes under and removes the chocks or something like that.

Answer 2

The door locks are not for security (Like your car), they are for safety.

At the handover of a new jet to a customer, the documents are signed and there is a traditional "Key handing ceremony" but the keys are just fakes, all part of the ceremony when aviation started and the doors did actually lock like a car, and the magneto switch did need a key, like a car.

Some light aircraft today still have a lockable door, but mainly just the older ones.

Answer 3

Most general aviation planes have a cheap locking system for the doors that you can easily pick or if you've got a collection of old aircraft keys, one will usually work (my collection hasn't failed yet).

Interestingly enough, the larger the aircraft, the less security systems it has.

Major airlines like Alaska and Continental have Kevlar reinforced cockpit doors with dual locking systems (one an electronic coded delay lock and the other a manual dead bolt) but the entry doors have no locks and the cockpit door is usually left open except while in flight.  There are no keys required to start the plane.

Sometimes when airliners are put into long term storage in the desert the doors are sealed with security tape so they know if anyone has been messing around with the plane.

Of course there are some security freaks with their private planes who install every gizmo to try and ensure their plane is safe.  

I used to work on a 737-500 that had hidden cameras everywhere.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Pacific-S...

There is one just to the right of the top right corner of the TV map.  It looks like a cabinet finger hole.

Answer 4

Like Tom said most GA aircraft have locks.

Answer 5

I know that GA aircraft have door locks.

Answer 6

You can also purchase or make chains for the prop to prevent theft/unauthorized use.

However, a lot of older airplanes only have the mag switch.

Answer 7

General aviation aircraft usually have door locks and a different key that is required to start the airplane. This isn't always true but is true of newer airplanes.

I believe there may even be a federal requirement that there be two locks of some kind (i.e. a door lock and an key-driven switch for starting) to prevent unauthorized use. At least somebody at an FBO told me that once.

Answer 8

no thy close them with duct tape

Answer 9

if your talking for jets if they have keys to start up

they dont you got 2 flip some swtiches and hit some buttons and dials