Why has my baggage door got a handle inside?

[Curlytips]

Just replacing inside baggage door upholstery lining in a 172. Door hinges open sideways and forwards. Can't understand why there is a small handle inside at bottom of door. My only theory is if the door were not closed properly and flapped open in flight, maybe a passenger could lean over back seat and hold it closed. Can the team think of any other reason for it?

[AdamFrisch]

Safety. In a post crash, the other doors might be jammed.

[Curlytips]

No that doesn't help. It's a simple grab handle that can only pull the door in. If the door is locked from outside as it should be before flight, the handle has no effect - it doesn't operate the lock in any way. Thanks for trying, but any more ideas?

[Mach Jump]

Some models of the C172 had an opening handle on the inside, so that it could be used as an emergency exit.


MJ

[Mach Jump]

Ah. It's a mystery then. I guess it could be useful to tie the door shut temporarilly if the catch failed, or it might be there to be used by the occupant of the optional child seat that could be fitted in the baggage compartment, but I can't think of anything else.


MJ

[Pirke]

It's there for weight&balance reasons obviously. People tend to push there baggage as far away from the door as possible, you have to compensate somehow!

[Piper.Classique]

Well, obviously it is there for the lift fairies to use when they get tired of working outside.

[fujii]

The Cessna 172 is based on earlier designs which had outside toilets and needed a way to shut the door when you got back inside. It is now tradition, a bit like captain on the left.

[The500man]

It's there so you can tie a bit of string around it to hold it closed when you overfill the compartment... Or maybe they used a standard size door from something else.

[sunside]

The C172 directly ships with a handle for throwing it away. It was first mounted on the outside, but has then been displaced for aesthetic reasons (not aerodynamic, since that is not a consideration on this type of aircraft).

[Jan Olieslagers]

earlier designs which had outside toilets

Hm, ah, yeah. A bit like THIS ONE , around 0:50..?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJFq2jhgQT8
(apologies if this video wears a white beard of age, by now)

[tomtytom]

Use it to hang the wash bag from whilst having a shave after a night camping under the wing. Thought it was obvious

[thing]

Had to hoot at the emergency exit scenario. I very much doubt whether I would get out of the luggage hatch of a 172...