What Are The Small Bars On Top Of Doors? — Tech Ops Forum

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What Are The Small Bars On Top Of Doors?

Keta From Italy, joined Mar 2005, 378 posts, RR: 0
Posted (3 years 6 months 3 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 1713 times:

I don't know how to call them... You may see it clearer with a picture the small "bars" located in top of airliners' doors:

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Photo © Florian Sindermann

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Photo © Ben Wang

I hope you see what I mean. Are they some structural thing? They don't look like aerodynamic devices at least. What are they?

Where there's a will, there's a way

8 replies: All unread, jump to last

David L From United Kingdom, joined May 1999, 8238 posts, RR: 40
Reply 1, posted (3 years 6 months 3 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 1710 times:

To stop rain water running down into the doorway?

Quoting Keta (Thread starter):
don't look like aerodynamic devices

Although they're not there for aerodynamic reasons I'll bet they're aligned to reduce any aerodynamic penalties.

... but I may be wrong

Buzz From United States, joined Nov 1999, 691 posts, RR: 28
Reply 2, posted (3 years 6 months 3 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 1706 times:

Hi KETA, Buzz here. Those are "rain gutters" to channel rivulets of rain away from the cabin doors as the rain rolls down from the top of the fuselage.
It seemed that the DC-10's "rain gutters" didn't work as well as the Boeing 727 / 737... at least in "sunny" Portland Oregon (it tends to rain here). I'd joke that the DC-10 was designed in southern California... sunny warm weather.
g'nite

Zkpilot From New Zealand, joined Mar 2006, 3441 posts, RR: 9
Reply 3, posted (3 years 6 months 3 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 1700 times:

They are there to stop rain dripping onto passengers or onto the floor of the aircraft when the door is open for boarding/deboarding.
They are aligned so as to be as little drag penalty as possible... since most aircraft fly with a slight nose up attitude, the rails are angled downwards at the front so inflight they are almost level.

46 types. 23 countries. 13 airlines

RichardPrice From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 4, posted (3 years 6 months 3 weeks 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 1572 times:

This came up in a previous thread, its a gutter to direct deicing fluid away from the doors as it can damage the door seals.

GrandTheftAero From United States, joined Nov 2003, 254 posts, RR: 7
Reply 5, posted (3 years 6 months 3 weeks 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 1515 times:

Quoting Zkpilot (Reply 3):
since most aircraft fly with a slight nose up attitude, the rails are angled downwards at the front so inflight they are almost level.

I believe they are angled to be tangent with the circulation about the wing since the gutters aft of the wing are angled in the opposite direction.

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