I did know a fellow whose son-in-law was a pilot of one of the two jets that were flown into the towers. he told me personally that his son-in-law had fought off a hijacker once before on a smaller plane in Florida, and that there is no way he would have sat still and let his plane be commandeered. he was certain the crew was violently overcome despite struggle to retain control of the aircraft.
His daughter was spearheading a bill to allow pilots to carry sidearms.
the people on the first 2 flights probobly thought they were going to be ransomed. In that instance I would probobly not fight if I thought I would get out alive either way.
if I found out that the terrorists were going to fly my plan into a building or kill me you had better believe I would be raising hell. Those terrorists don't want to see me mad cause I have an incredible mean streak.
Commercial airline pilots already have been given legal standing to carry firearms with low impact bullets that won't pierce the airplanes hull.
Many have already gone through personal defense and weapons training and gotten their F.O. (Federal Officer) licenses and are carrying regularly now.
Senator Barbara Boxer was sponsoring a bill last year to work out some of the kinks that developed (like getting through check-in security easier, and allowing them to carrying on flights to and from the U.S. not just within the U.S.).
Don't know what happened to that bill.