Thousands of Pilots Won't Fly Armed, Blame TSA

CNSNews.com ^ | January 15, 2004 | Jeff Johnson

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

The TSA has designed the program to deter participation...

Typical liberal government agencies. If you don't like the law that congress passed, that you MUST implement and let people follow, make it impossible to follow it.

[twigs]

Unfortunately, the airline pilot unions are actively urging their members to vote against Pres. Bush in the upcoming election. I go to church with a pilot and he supports the president, although he agrees with some of the problems the union has with him.

[Probus]

TSA is a joke, they solve nothing, they have stopped HOW MANY terrorist incidents? They have allowed HOW MANY weapons on planes? They have inconvenienced and violated the rights of HOW MANY million travelers? They are not law enforcement, they are not armed, they are not about to allow anyone with any authority (or common sense) to travel armed. T.S.A.= Thousands Standing Around

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

They are union. Need I say more?

[Hunble]

Ah heck, just fly in a private airplane and you can carry all the weapons you want.

Private pilots are not allowed to charge money for their services, but they are permitted to share expenses.

In other words, if you pay for the airplane, gas and other costs, a private pilot is allowed to fly you to your destination.

No TSA security hassles. No long drives to a hub airport and being forced to pay outrageous parking fees.

Make friends with a local pilot and learn how to enjoy flying once again.

[U S Army EOD]

A man after my own heart. I just can't wait until I can get my Zenith 601 or 701. I still can't figure out which one to buy.

[joesnuffy]

Trust pilots with the lives of a few hundred passengers with an aircraft but not a handgun?
Considering that most of these guys are current or former military as well many fighter or bomber pilots....
The federal govt. running a program like run all their programs...100% SNAFU

[zeugma]

To me, saying that it is SNAFU would indicate that they didn't intend it to be AFU in the first place. I believe the proper term for the TSA and the program for arming pilots is FUBAR.

Our government has turned into this evil beast that does nothing but protect its own power and authority. Actually empowering pilots to responsibly take some responsibility for the passenger's safety is too similar to actually arming one of the sheep.

I think the message that should be taken from this article is that you are merely to sit down, shut up, and don't complain. After all, you're just a peasant. You don't count except when they extract cash from your paycheck.

[Joe Brower]

[rogator]

Sounds like the TSA needs a new boss.

[robowombat]

Irecent had to take some basic TSA terrorism protective training due to my job. The thrust of the parts that dealt with actual conrontation with terrorists including kidnappers was 'do nothing' you are not a officially trained 'law enforcement' person (by TSA definition) and don't have sense enogh to do anything useful. Allow yourself to be kidnapped or held hostage because the 'certified terror fighters' will come and rescue you.
Based on what has happened to people who have been kidnapped by terrorists my comments were that being killed was preferable and there is no reason to think the US gov will ever find you in one piece anyway. Abosule passivity by all 'civilians' is the goal of certainly most fed gov law enforcemnt types.

[gaijin]

The head of TSA serves at the pleasure of the President, who could easily fire him for this state of affairs. We can lay responsibility for this state of affairs at the feet of the President.

[Hunble]

After looking at the Zenith 601, it is obvious that you want speed. Go for the faster aircraft.

Personally, I rent a Piper Warrior when I need the speed for travel to a specific destination.

For enjoyment, I like things low and slow! My home built airplane is the Challenger II. Maximum speed is 100 and a stall speed of only 18. One of the very few aircraft with a 4:1 speed envelope.

This is the difference between a dirt-bike and a Harley motorcycle. Each type of motorcycle is designed for a specific usage. A Harley, when driven on a dirt or gravel road, is down right scary!

Identify the type of flying that you enjoy. If your primary purpose if to fly long distances, then get the fastest aircraft that you can afford.

If you just enjoy flying for the sake of flying, think about something that performs like a WWI fighter. Those are fun airplanes to fly, but often painful for long distances.

For me, I chose the Challenger II because of it's gliding abilities. Shut down the engine and ride the thermals for a few hours. When tired, fire up that engine and fly home.

With a stall speed of only 18, can you imagine the short fields that I can land in? There is no such thing as not being able to find an emergency landing spot. Give me a little headwind, and I could land in someone's driveway.

At the company that I work for, we have a Piper Navajo and two Piper Saratoga for aerial photography. For this application, we need speed.

Identify what you enjoy most about flying first!

[JETDRVR]

Good post! this is a problem. IMHO I fully support armed sky marshals.....in the back with the pax , where the shooting(God forbid if any) will occur. My disagreement with arming pilots is this....Who is going to fly the airplane??? We are forgetting the #1 rule every single aviator of any type learns in case of emergency.......FLY THE AIRPLANE.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

We can lay responsibility for this state of affairs at the feet of the President.

Oops... you forgot: (This ad bought and paid for by the Dean For President Committee)

[Hunble]

An airliner with well armed citizens aboard would make the possibility of a terrorist obtaining control of the aircraft simply impossible.

The TSA is nothing but a joke. Totally useless and they will never be able to achieve their designated tasks, because the are dis-arming the wrong people.

If anything, the TSA is placing American citizens into a deadly situation, since they are unable to protect themselves.

Have you ever purchased a ceramic kitchen knife?

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Who is going to fly the airplane???

We've pregressed quite a bit since the 1940's when the pilot had to have his hands on the control stick at all times. Now we have such things as autopilot as well as multiple people in the cockpit, all of them capable of taking control of the plane if they had to.

[U S Army EOD]

Soon I will be in a position to where I have nothing left to spend money on except airplanes. I have some minor heart problems so I will have to go the sports pilot route. I plan to go to Zenith and fly both airplanes. The Zenith 701 seems to be the most fun to fly especially with its short take off and landing. But yes you are right, there is almost 50 mph between their crusing speeds. I have access to four landing fields and a free hanger within six miles of where I live. I am thinking buy a 701 and then start working on the 601. Just have both. Most of my trips will be less than 100 miles the first year or two. I don't think there would be much actual difference in the flying time between these two as from the time you took off to you completed the trip. Over 100 miles, the 601 would be the plane of choice.

[Hunble]

Do they still need a pilot in a modern airliner?

Ok, for the taxiing between the runway and the loading gate, they are still needed.

Today, the better airliners can fly and land on a runway without any assistance from the pilots. In many ways, a modern airline pilot is in the cockpit to simply monitor the computers.

P.S. Please do not tell them that, they think they are important.

[JETDRVR]

"We've pregressed quite a bit since the 1940's when the pilot had to have his hands on the control stick at all times. Now we have such things as autopilot as well as multiple people in the cockpit, all of them capable of taking control of the plane if they had to."


Uhhhhhhhh sir I do this for a living! Gulfstreams Falcons Citations so yes Im quite familiar with automation on todays aircraft. My point is in a worst case scenario eg: Camel jocks in question manage to kill A. the sky marshals B. both pilots.......arming pilots will only take them away from their primary dutys flying the airplane. We need to solve the more important issue of placing shooters in the back of the acft where they should be!