747-400 Cargo Door Experts

[NSEU]

Folks... (no answers on the Tech Forum, so....)

Just wondering what causes the lower cargo door handles to fly open when you push the release button on the door handle. I don't see any springs in the manual in the door handle area. Are the negative pressure relief door springs responsible for my bruised fingers? Do these springs assist the handle mechanism to come out?

Thanks
Cheers
NSEU

[bcgallacher]

When you close the lever it does 2 things - positions the latch locks and closes the relief doors and they are indeed spring loaded. I once had the dubious pleasure of looking out through the relief doors in the forward cargo after the handle unlocked itself on rotation.Went down through the forward hatch to check what the problem was after door unlocked light came on.Door was unlocked but not unlatched - had to return to JED to lock the door. Scared us ****less as this was not long after the door came off the 747SP.