A pilot has explained what will happen if a bomb is found aboard an aircraft. It comes after an easyJet flight was intercepted by an F18 Hornet fighter jet last weekend following an alleged bomb threat.
The jet was deployed after a hoax claiming there was a bomb on board the plane. A Ryanair pilot has now explained what would happen if a device were found midflight.
"On every airplane there's a place that we designate to put a bomb if we find one," the Ryanair pilot told The Mirror. "I'll leave it at that. People will have to guess where it is and hope they're sat away from it.
"Its proper name is the least risk bomb location (LRBL) and it's part of the aircraft that if a bomb exploded would hopefully cause least damage to the airframe."
Alexia Lequien, an aviation security expert, has previously explained how air staff are taught to keep explosives as far away from fuel tanks as possible.
In the event of a possible explosion the cabin pressure may be reduced in a bid to dampen the impact of the blast, she explained.
Alexia told TSI Mag of the least risk bomb location zone: "If a suspected IED is found on an aircraft, it is best for pilots to descend and depressurise the cabin before the suspicious item is placed in the LRBL.
"Cabin crew members have the critical role of identifying the LRBL and moving the suspicious device to this location.
"The suspected IED should be placed as close as possible to the fuselage and we assume that a portion of the aircraft will be lost should the device detonate."
Alexia said that the designated location is usually one furthest away from critical structures such as the cockpit and fuel tanks, and close to an area designed to ‘open’ - such as a door.
