Posted on 10/04/2001 9:38:13 PM PDT by kattracks
Definitely, with the caveat that the duty of a pilot is to protect the cockpit at all costs. If someone uses a shoelace to take a flight attendant hostage and threatens to kill her, the pilot should not leave the cockpit to intervene. Using the plane to hit the hijacker with some nasty g-forces is probably a good idea, but the pilot must not do anything that might risk cockpit security.
Note that I would not expect an armed pilot to act as a sky marshal; the two jobs are very different, and for a pilot to carry his gun into a cabin would be an invitation to disaster. Even within his limited role, however, (keeping control of his 100-ton missle), a pilot may in some cases have need of a sidearm and should thus be allowed to have one.
Let the public decide.
I have a prediction. The first airline to have and announce armed aircrews would be an unbelievable success.
That is the only airline I'd fly.
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