Armed Pilot's Gun Goes Missing

AvWeb ^ | March 8, 2004 | AvWeb

[billorites]

Southwest Airlines and the Transportation Security Administration are investigating the disappearance of a Federal Flight Deck Officer's (FFDO's) semi-automatic pistol stowed in his luggage aboard a flight from Las Vegas to Oakland. The pilots blame the TSA's insistence that the weapons be checked in baggage, when they are deadheading, for the disappearance of the guns. Pilots say that instead of picking up their gun-laden luggage from the cargo area, as the rules state, they often find it on the carousel with the rest of the passengers' bags. TSA spokesman Nico Melendez said the flight deck officers' jurisdiction ends at the cockpit door but Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.) said that's asking for trouble. "When you separate the pilot from his gun, whether you put it in a lockbox or whether you make him put it in some other area, then you lose that security," Allard said.

The Airline Pilots Security Alliance took the opportunity to claim that an average of one in five airline pilots allowed to carry guns in the cockpit has lost his or her gun in the last two months. "In the last 60 days, we believe 300 weapons have been misplaced," Dean Roberts, spokesman for the Airline Pilots Security Alliance, told Denver's 9News.com. Specific cases accounting for all 300 of those alleged losses were not listed. The TSA has not confirmed the number of lost guns but will investigate them. "Obviously, something might be wrong with the program," said the TSA's Melendez. Although the TSA will not confirm it, there are believed to be about 1,500 FFDOs.

[Centurion2000]

I guess putting a lock on a checked bag for a pilot is verboten too.

[leadpenny]

The pilots blame the TSA's insistence that the weapons be checked in baggage, when they are deadheading, for the disappearance of the guns.

We have met the enemy, and the enemy is the TSA.

[kittymyrib]

I strongly suspect TSA employees myself. They probably can get a nice chunk of change for a pilot's pistol on the street...

[billorites]

"They probably can get a nice chunk of change for a pilot's pistol on the street..."

Where, in Oakland?

[SolutionsOnly]

Bad Headline.

The fact the is was a pilot who's gun was stolen is incidental. It coud have happened to anyone whoi checked a bag. The headline is worded as a statement against armed pilots. It is entirely disingenuous.

[WorkingClassFilth]

A couple of questions...

1) Are all pilots simply issued arms and required to carry? If so, the anti's among them will (are) help to make great political hay of that foolish policy.

2) Why not secure the arms in a locker on-board the aircraft? An alarm and keyed access should handle the security concerns.

[Seruzawa]

I believe that a pistol can go for upwards of $5000 in Japan. Lots of them are smuggled there.

[brityank]

~20% of FFDO weapons misplaced in last two months.

FIRE MINETA!!
DISBAND TSA!

[aomagrat]

Inside job. What did they think would happen when they take the same pre 9-11 security workers and give them a big raise and a federal badge?

[American_Centurion]

UPS has the TSA to thank for my increase in using their services.

I refuse to put anything at all in checked baggage. I carry my laptop and ship my luggage to my hotel in advance. For the return trip I ship baggage the day I leave and it usually arrives at my home in 3-4 days.

UPS doesn't rifle through my belongings at a whim looking for pilferable items. The TSA does and will if they suspect there is anything at all of value in your bags.

I would recommend to anyone planning a flight in advance to do the same. It doesn't work for last minute flights. If anyone can think of how it could I'm all ears.

[tomakaze]

re:The pilots blame the TSA's insistence that the weapons be checked in baggage, when they are deadheading, for the disappearance of the guns.
 
And they are 100% correct and justified in doing so.
far as I'm concered the TSA employees and baggage folks are nothing but theives (especially in the NorthEast).

[Puppage]

If you'd like to read the truth about the Armed Pilots Program, pick up the latest issue of Americas First Freedom, turn to the last page.

You simply won't believe it.

[Gritty]

"In the last 60 days, we believe 300 weapons have been misplaced," - Dean Roberts, spokesman for the Airline Pilots Security Alliance

It's the unbelieveably idiotic rules and the TSA, not the pilots. If they had the guns on their persons, they would still have them.

Mineta (D-CA) and any bureaucrat connected to this program should be immediately fired for defying the will of Congress!

[MainFrame65]

> "Obviously, something might be wrong with the program," said the TSA's Melendez. <

Yeah, sure. The TSA and their stupid, obstructionist, anti-gun attitude.

[Prodigal Son]

Well, at the end of the day, pilots are officers. That's what they make dummy-cords for.

[Don Joe]

"Dominate. Intimidate. Control."

[cpdiii]

I like the idea of a pilot whom is "dead heading" to have his pistol with him in the cabin. He should "dead head" in civilian cloths. The bad guys do not know who he is and makes sky jacking even more difficult for them. The last thing that would go through the bad guys head is a a rather large piece of lead from the back of his skull.

[Indrid Cold]

"The pilots blame the TSA's insistence that the weapons be checked in baggage, when they are deadheading, for the disappearance of the guns."

And the TSA refuses to accept responsibility for damaged or missing items.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

You're not allowed to lock your luggage anymore. Sucks bigtime when you're travelling with firearms.