I very much doubt the validity of that statement.
Along with having a gun, one must be willing to use that gun without hesitation in a situation like that.
That means complete familiarity with their weapon and the confidence that they can hit what they want to hit.
Even most Second Amendment proponents don't spend the necessary time at the range to achieve that confidence.
I support a scholastic program to teach kids about guns, but the love of shooting must a lifelong pursuit.
More associations, like the VFW, the Boy Scouts, the Lion's Clubs, etc., should promote and sponsor shooting events and make them FUN!
Many people, like myself, don't hunt anymore, but everyone can enjoy shooting for the pure pleasure of shooting.
This is a very valid point, and on a packed airliner there would have been persons like that. A gun among the passengers might have found its way to the right person, particularly in the case of the forth airplane. Likewise, a gun, or likely guns) in the school in Breslan or Columbine mmay have resulted in far fewer deaths, by the earlier death of the perpatrators.
We need to move in the direction of a gun knowledgable society once more. A few years back, talk show host Melanie Morgan, (SF) was given the opportunity to learn about firearms, and moved from a scared mom to a knowledgable supporter of 2nd ammendment rights.
Expertise was not the issue at all; just mindset.
The people on those planes expected to be held hostage and hoped to recover their freedom. They had an image of an outcome where few died.
As soon as the hijackers' intentions were known, action was taken and resulted in the deaths of the hijackers. Since all aboard were killed, there is no chance that people unskilled in the use of firearms would have had a poorer outcome.
Virtually every courier carrying cash to load ATMs is armed and prepared to use that firearm to protect the cash. People everywhere, including on airlines, deserve the same protection.