Posted on 04/01/2008 9:10:57 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Armed airline pilots may be at risk of discharging their weapons on planes because of cumbersome rules imposed by Congress and the Transportation Security Administration, a group representing the pilots said Tuesday.
A 2002 law prohibits pilots from carrying their guns outside the cockpit without a trigger lock, and as a result they must frequently affix or remove trigger locks during flights.
That law and the TSA policy that goes with it may be responsible for a March 22 incident in which a pilot accidentally discharged his weapon on U.S. Airways Flight 1536 from Denver to Charlotte, N.C., said Mike Karn, security chairman of the Allied Pilots Association, the union that represents American Airlines pilots. The gun went off as the Airbus 319 was 8,000 feet in the air and 10 minutes from landing.
Photos obtained by The Associated Press showed a small exit hole on the plane's exterior below the cockpit window. The pilot later told police the gun went off while he was trying to stow it as the crew got ready to land. It was the first time a pilot's weapon was fired on a plane since the certification program was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The gun and the special holster it must be carried in can be jostled in such a way during the flight that the weapon could discharge by accident, according to a video description posted on the Internet YouTube site. An industry source familiar with the policy said the video was an accurate portrayal of the rules. The industry source requested anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about sensitive security policies.
The Transportation Security Administration would not comment on the details of the current policy, citing security concerns. But spokesman Greg Alter said the video presents a hypothetical situation.
"The incident that occurred aboard an in-flight aircraft on March 22, 2008, was a one-of-a-kind occurrence," Alter said.
He said the current policy was "consistent with long-standing law enforcement practices." TSA was investigating what happened March 22.
"Any lessons learned will be implemented," he added.
Officials with the Federal Flight Deck Officers association, which represents armed pilots, said the current policy is flawed and should be changed.
Armed pilots have covered millions of flights since the program launched in April 2003.
It would not surprise me if some moronic bureaucrat (but I repeat myself) who has never held a handgun and has no clue fron which end the round exits made up this idiotic rule.
That would explain all the cops I see with locks through their holsters. Not.
The article says: “A 2002 law prohibits pilots from carrying their guns outside the cockpit without a trigger lock..”
That is NOT what the Law says. Thats BS from the TSA. The Law does not even mention any kind of lock requirement.
It says a pilot may carry a weapon in any State and from one State to another in the performance of his duties.
Just Google APTA, commonly called the Armed Pilot Act....
I bid a lot of gov't projects. It amazes me how they can send me a bid package that is 2 inches thick to instruct me how to do the simplest of jobs.
Way back in 1968 South East Asia we all carried firearms on our aircraft (KC-135). Mine was sealed in a plastic bag with ammo and that was all. No trigger guard or excessive safety features. I never heard of an accidental discharge.
Modern rules were made by fainthearts who fear guns more than they fear an enemy.
The only trigger lock that the pilots should know of is the index finger fully stretched over the trigger housing.
The finger should touch the trigger only when a terrorist needs to die. Otherwise, what’s the problem?
This Masterlock Mickey-Mouse BS is going to get many innocent people killed.
“Oh wait, Mr. Islamic Terrorist. I need to get my key out so that I can unlock the trigger guard on my pistol. Only then can I effectively defend civilians against your murderous intentions.”
Idiots, all.
The youtube video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=6Sf7ec2D1us
WTF!
WOW!!! The way that TSA monstrosity is designed anybody could accidentally discharge a DA pistol that’s not cocked but has a live round in the chamber, the way I store my Beretta .40.
With only one accidental discharge? That would seem to indicate that the federal regulations aren't cumbersome or endangering.
“With only one accidental discharge? That would seem to indicate that the federal regulations aren’t cumbersome or endangering.”
The new procedure started only in the last year!
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