ACFT EQUIP PROB HYD SYS LOST; EMER LNDG GEAR EXTENSION DOOR STUCK.

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DURING CLB OUT FROM GSO ON A FLT TO RSW; 'A' HYD SYS QUANTITY WAS OBSERVED DECREASING THROUGH 1 GAL. UPON REACHING '0' QUANTITY; PRESSURE WENT TO ZERO WITH ASSOCIATED PUMP AND FLT CTL LIGHTS. WE ELECTED TO RETURN TO GSO. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND ALL CHKLIST PROCS WERE COMPLIED WITH. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE AND THE ACFT WAS TOWED FROM THE RWY TO THE GATE. THE ONLY ITEM OF ANY NOTE WAS THAT THE ACCESS DOOR FOR THE MANUAL GEAR RELEASE HANDLES WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO OPEN. I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN IT BARE-HANDED AND FINALLY HAD TO USE A SCREWDRIVER THE CAPT HAPPENED TO HAVE TO PRY IT OPEN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 313864: ATC ASKED IF WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER. I RESPONDED NOT YET; BUT IF THE PRESSURE DROPS OFF THAT WE WOULD. WHILE GETTING THE ATIS AND TALKING TO MAINT; THE PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO AND WE ACCOMPLISHED THE 'A' SYS LOSS CHKLIST. WE THEN ADVISED ATC WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER. WE ADVISED THE TWR WE WOULD BE STOPPING ON THE RWY SINCE WE DID NOT HAVE ANY NOSEWHEEL STEERING. BY STARTING THE AIR RETURN BEFORE WE LOST PRESSURE; WE WERE ABLE TO BETTER COORDINATE WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS; THE COMPANY; AND ATC BEFORE WE GOT QUITE BUSY. IT ALSO ALLOWED ME TO MAKE A COUPLE OF PA'S TO THE PAX.