Cargo door arrangement

An aircraft comprising a cargo door arrangement, the cargo door arrangement comprising:

• a fuselage portion of an aircraft, the fuselage portion comprising a skin portion and at least one fuselage former having a first flange connected to the skin portion, a second flange and a web connecting the first and second flanges, wherein an opening is provided in the fuselage portion and interrupts the at least one fuselage former, such that the at least one fuselage former has two sections extending from opposite edges of the opening;
• a cargo door comprising at least one door former having a first flange connected to a door panel, a second flange and a web connecting the first and second flanges, wherein the cargo door is coupled to the fuselage portion such that the cargo door is selectively movable between a closed position, in which the cargo door closes the opening, and an open position, in which the cargo door allows access through the opening;
• and
• a locking mechanism for selectively locking the cargo door in the closed position,
• wherein in the closed position each of the door formers extends between the two sections of a corresponding one of the fuselage formers, and the locking mechanism comprises for at least one of the door formers:
• a first engagement element having opposite first and second ends and a tapered portion tapering in the direction from the first end to the second end, wherein the first engagement element is rigidly connected at the first end to the first flange of the corresponding door former at an end portion thereof;
• a second engagement element comprising a tapered cavity open at a first end and tapering from the first end to a second end of the cavity, wherein the cavity has a shape matching the shape of the tapered portion, and wherein the second engagement element is rigidly connected to an end portion of the respective fuselage former at least at the first and second flanges thereof and in such a manner that
• from the first end to the second end the cavity extends in a direction between the first and second flanges of the respective fuselage former, and
• upon moving the cargo door into the closed position the tapered portion is engageable with the cavity such that in the closed position there is a form-closed engagement between the tapered portion and the second engagement element in a first and a second engagement region, wherein the first engagement region is arranged proximate to the first end of the cavity and the second engagement region is arranged proximate to the second end of the cavity;
• and
• a connecting means adapted to rigidly connect in the closed position of the cargo door the second flange of the respective door former to the first or second engagement element at a position closer to the second end of the cavity than to the open first end of the cavity.