Posted on 10/04/2001 9:38:13 PM PDT by kattracks
Commercial airline pilots will be asked to suspend air service if they cannot have trained, armed pilots in the cockpits, a New Hampshire pilot said. A resolution that will be circulated among the various councils of the 67,000-member Air Line Pilots Association this month asks federal regulations be changed to allow for the voluntary arming of flight crew members, Robert Giuda, a United Airlines captain of Warren said. “Had we had armed pilots on Sept. 11, we wouldn’t have the horrific tragedy that we’re dealing with at this point,” Giuda said of the four hijacked jetliners. Pilots would first get training in firearms by the FBI and would use their weapons only to defend against an attempted breach of the cockpit, the resolution said. The resolution also calls for federal licensing of pilots to carry concealed weapons and for the government to indemnify air carriers and their employees against the legitimate use of a firearm. If those steps are not carried out, the resolution calls for “a national suspension of air service, at such times and in such manner as is deemed appropriate by the leadership of the Air Line Pilots Association.” “We’re hearing members of Congress say they don’t want a bunch of armed hooligans running around,” said Giuda, a New Hampshire state representative. He said there was “no more professionalized, highly-scrutinized group of people in the world than airline pilots.” The security of the flight deck cannot depend solely on armed sky marshals, he said. Sky marshals can be picked out of a crowd and, if overpowered, would provide a hijacker with a weapon, Giuda said. “It’s time to throw the gauntlet to the mat. We are going to get politicized into unarmed cockpits and then we’ll get shot with the guns the marshals used because they will be taken away from them,” he added. Arming pilots introduces the element of “risk, fear and doubt” into the mind of a potential hijacker, he said.
It'll also put a quick end to the scheme if they don't get the hints.
The terrorists do understand deadly force.
Aren't most commercial pilots former officers in the military? Aren't many active officers in the National Guard? Haven't they received military training?
If we can't trust officers with weaponry, who the heck can we entrust?
At the very least, those current officers in the Air National Guard should be required to carry weapons as part of our new National Defense.
Here are my answers to the common stupid reasons for not arming airline :
Stupid Reason #1. Pilots can't be forced to be armed. It should be voluntary.
A #1. Does the same logic apply to other jobs? What about bank security guards" or Secret Service officers? Should they be allowed to keep their jobs if they refuse to carry? I say No, and they should be well-trained.
Stupid Reason #2. We'd be leaving ourselves open to the threat of terrorist infiltration of air marshall ranks.
A #2. Or an ever bigger threat, hijackers impersonating air marshalls. If marshalls are undercover the crew doesn't know who they are. What does a crew person do if they see an armed passenger? Assume they are air marshalls? What if they aren't?
Stupid Reason #3. It seems that some people have had the ability to steal airline uniforms and credentials. Such a successful imposter would be able to take a firearm on a plane.
A #3. What about imposter air marshalls? They don't even have uniforms, they are undercover. How hard can it be to fake an air marshall ID? How does the crew decide between the real air marshall and the fake one who is a suicide bomber?
Stupid Reason #4. Anyone can impersonate a pilot and get a gun on board.
A #4. If the imposter pilot successfully gets on board, is in the cockpit and has total control of the plane already, WHAT DOES HE NEED A GUN FOR?
A Note about Undercover Sky Marshalls:
My argument against undercover sky marshalls is: How are the crew going to know who is a undercover sky marshall and who is an undercover suicide bomber?
Let's say that a hijacker has a gun on board and is spotted by one of the crew. Should they feel safe? What if said hijacker pulls out official (fake) Air Marshall ID and presents it to the crew and says that they need to talk to the pilot because they saw something out of the ordinary in Row 3? And then proceeds to pop the unarmed pilot. And drive it into the Sears Tower. Couldn't happen? Why not?
IMHO, pilots should be forced to carry-- it is a job requirement-- and they should be the only ones to carry. They should also be locked in the cockpit for the duration of the flight. Problem solved
Especially if the replacement pilots are like replacement officials in the NFL, or replacement players back during the NFL player strike.
Only stupid liberal winnies have a problem with it, and under the guidelines spelled out, it would be a great thing.
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