Varför skulle pilarna lämna cockpiten på en kort flygning?

En flygplans cockpit saknar en toalett.

CockpitlayoutfrånAviationKnowledge.wikidot

Dettadiskuterasi Skybrary: Flight Deck Security

Locked Door Flight Safety Issues
...
Physiological Need. Naturally, the need for flight crew to use toilets, access designated crew rest facilities or be supplied with food and drink, requires access through the flight deck door during flight. Procedures for door opening mean that egress and access will take longer with the result that the flight deck crew are not always able to go to the toilet at a time of their exact choice, which may cause them to be distracted and, exceptionally, might exacerbate an existing underlying medical issue in a way that would not otherwise have occurred.
...
Longer term, design change could also ensure that all operating flight crew should be secured on the flight-deck before the passenger boarding doors are closed prior to departure and remain secured on the flight-deck until after the passenger doors are opened at the destination. This would prevent any unlawful entry from the cabin and minimise any unlawful seizure by a single flight crew member.
To enable this, existing aircraft could be modified and new aircraft designed with all required crew facilities forward of the secure flight-deck door. On short/medium haul aircraft this would require a toilet, safe food & water storage and a reclining crew rest seat. Additionally on aircraft used for long range operations where in-flight relief is required provision of bunk/s. This is not a new concept, many long range aircraft already have toilet and crew rest facilities forward of the secure flight-deck door.

FAA ger följande skäl till vilka en pilot får lämna sin tilldelade tågstation (dvs. sitt säte i flygplåten) i 14 CFR §121.543 Flygbesättningsmedlemmar vid kontroller :

(b) A required flight crewmember may leave the assigned duty station—

(1) If the crewmember's absence is necessary for the performance of duties in connection with the operation of the aircraft;

(2) If the crewmember's absence is in connection with physiological needs; or

(3) If the crewmember is taking a rest period, and relief is provided—

Fall nr 3 gäller i allmänhet endast för långdistansflygningar där en eller två avlastningspiloter kommer att växla med de inledande piloterna, så att var och en av dem får en vilotid.

Europas EASA har liknande regler. Se CAT.OP.MPA.210 i det här dokumentet (på sidorna 101- 102).

CAT.OP.MPA.210 Crew members at stations

(a) Flight crew members

(1) During take-off and landing each flight crew member required to be on duty in the flight crew compartment shall be at the assigned station.

(2) During all other phases of flight each flight crew member required to be on duty in the flight crew compartment shall remain at the assigned station, unless absence is necessary for the performance of duties in connection with the operation or for physiological needs, provided at least one suitably qualified pilot remains at the controls of the aircraft at all times.

Således kan en pilot lämna flygdäcket på korta flygningar om:

1) Piloten behöver gå på toaletten.

2) Piloten behöver utföra några åtgärder som är relevanta för att flyga planet (som att gå bakåt för att fysiskt inspektera en del av planet, som i QF32 eller United 811 .)

Relaterad fråga vars svar även nämner dessa regler: Är det alltid två personer som behövs i cockpiten på stora kommersiella flygplan?