How long can the flight deck door be open?

• A. 2 seconds
• B. 3 seconds
• C. 5 seconds
• D. 1 second

Answer: (B)

Opening the flight deck door is a high‑risk moment because it momentarily exposes the cockpit to the cabin. The standard practice limits this open window to a brief moment—about three seconds. This short duration lets necessary, legitimate actions—like quick communication with the cockpit or passing a small item—while dramatically reducing the time the door is ajar and the opportunity for misuse or intrusion. If something requires more time, cabin crew should coordinate via the intercom and with the flight deck to ensure security, rather than keeping the door open longer. A shorter time, like one second, would usually be too brief for typical exchanges, while a longer window, such as five seconds, increases risk and is not the recommended limit.