Poll: Should airline pilots carry handguns on flights?

Netscape Home Page ^ | 9/26/01

[BikinLiLo]

Yes: 72% 223957 votes No: 28% 88314 votes 312274 votes total.

[BikinLiLo]

Go get 'em!!

[Ed_NYC]

I totally agree that pilots should carry weapons. Many of the pilots are prior military but that does not mean that they're proficient at the use of weapons, so I think that all those who want to carry a firearm should go through some certification and maybe annual qualifications.

[topher]

I would only offer that there should be training involved with them to carry. Those with a military background might take a short course.

The NRA promotes safety, and there should be no reason for people to object to pilots carrying guns with proper training. They would have to use hollow points. There is no way around that -- you don't want a bullet to go through a terrorist and strike a passenger or go through the fuselage.

[Republic]

YOU BET THEY SHOULD BE ARMED.....WITH AS MUCH WEAPONRY AND THEY NEED TO PROTECT THEIR VESSEL AND THE OCCUPANTS! STEEL DOORS MY ASS!!! THESE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN ARE THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE IN AN AIRLINE MUTINY OR HIJACKING. THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO DEFEND THE CRAFT. MACE AND STEEL DOORS ARE RIDICULOUS!!! PILOTS CANNOT SIMPLY RING UP 911 and sit back and wait for help.

FOR HEAVEN's SAKE...................ARM COMMERCIAL AIRLINE PILOTS AND DO IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Don Brush]

It sounds good with one exception: bad guys will know that pilots are armed and could slit their throat in the concourse bathroom and then get on their flight where they would now have a gun.

If pilots do carry guns, the guns should stay in the cockpit and never be allowed in the concourse

where criminals could overpower one and take his/her gun. Other than that, good idea.

[Bald Eagle]

Why not just put all passengers in Straitjackets?

[Falcon4.0]

The real reason the anti-gun left hates this is that they have spent the last 30+ years convincing the American public that they are "LESS" safe when there is a gun around. They'll never admit your safer when the Pilot has a weapon.
I've been hearing the argument that the Pilots first responsibility is to fly the plane and he should not be a law enforcement officer. But a Pilots first resposibilitiy is "THE SAFETY OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE PASSENGERS!"
No, he should not go investigate every little skirmish in coach, but YES anybody who forces the cockpit door should get a third eye from a safety slug!

[Durus]

Using that logic perhaps we should give terrorists guns so that passengers could overpower them and then be armed against a terrorist attack.

[szweig]

That much bandied-about statistic that a large %age of police officers die of wounds from their own gun is misleading. What the commies don't tell you is that that number includes self-inflicted wounds (ie, Paddy eats his gun and blows his head off.) It's a continuing problem among the brethren. A tough life, to be sure...SSZ

[Redcloak]

Been there.
FReeped that.

Of course they should be armed as should any other law-abiding citizen who wishes to be armed. The only restriction should be that only frangible ammo (Glaser Safety Slugs and the like) be allowed aboard aircraft. Ask yourself: Does making aircraft and airports safe for terrorists and other criminals sound reasonable?

[Don Brush]

I am the biggest pro-gun guy in the world.

I believe in women carrying to prevent rape/etc. However, I am a big guy, and I can defend myself, usually. However, three or four bad guys with a death wish could overpower me in a place like a bathroom. That's all I am saying is that we need to think about that angle and then, by all means, let them carry in the cockpit.

[luckyltus]

No blanket approval. How do we know if the pilot is sleep deprived or abuses drugs and alcohol? I don't want a nut case pilot who's ticked off shooting a loud mouth. Yes, there needs to be some type of protection for passenger safety but the pilots job is to pilot the plane safely. The entire crew needs terriorist combat training.

[Don Brush]

I don't understand why pilots need to be armed anywhere but the cockpit. We have other people, namely police officers, that do a great job protecting us in airport concourses. It is good to work out all the details and I think it is healthy to talk statigies through and not go off "half-cocked". Your training for firearm retention is a good idea also.

[Don Brush]

I hope I never get on a plane with a sleep deprived pilot. He already has everyone's life in his hands. If he can't handle a gun, I don't want him flying a plane either.

[Don Brush]

I wasn't talking about the people "screening" passengers through the metal detectors. I was talking about real airport police officers that are the real protection in airports. Not the security guards.

I don't take anything personal in your comments. In fact, I think we agree more than disagree. Your point about the uniforms and IDs are valid and you are right. We need to think that one through as well.