Pilot to Passengers: "I'm unarmed"

Townhall.com ^ | September 7, 2003 | Paul Jacob

[RedBloodedAmerican]

It's as if the terrorists have found a way to infiltrate the Transportation Security Administration.

Absurd.

Thousands of pilots could be trained in short order if the agency simply farmed out the job to private training academies

Sure they could, why not? what else do they have to do? Fly planes? They aren't busy at all!

[Restorer]

I hate to point out the obvious, but anybody who's flying the plane should have already been background-checked out the wazoo.

[stylin19a]

What many do not know is...pilots became disarmed by Congress, 07/2001. Prior to that, they were allowed to carry.

[Gritty]

Sure they could, why not? what else do they have to do? Fly planes? They aren't busy at all!

All pilots with the major air carriers have flexibility enough in their schedules to do the training without much problem. This could easily be scheduled, especially as they wouldn't be all training at once.

[caltrop]

If there's a terrorist on board who is armed an unarmed pilot can, while sitting in the pilot's seat flying the plane, meekly hand over the controls when the terrorist sticks a gun in his face and tells him to.

I believe Carter signed an Executive Order which did away with the requirement that pilots who might be carrying US Mail be armed. I don't know why Bush hasn't signed an Executive Order reinstating the requirement.

Not having them armed is beyond stupid.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

...Thousands of pilots could be trained in short order ...

Gimme a break.

Airline pilots as a rule, could simply be given a weapon and a clear set of priorities.

[aruanan]

So TSA now means Terrorist Support Administration.

[Cboldt]

Not having them armed is beyond stupid. Forbidding them to be armed is ...?

[dagnabbit]

This makes as much sense as the hundreds of thousand of visas we're still handing out to folks from terrorist-source countries like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

[caltrop]

Requiring them to be armed is my objective. Merely permitting them to be armed if they choose to be isn't good enough.

[StACase]

>Requiring them to be armed is my objective. Merely permitting them to be armed if they choose to be isn't good enough.

And trained!

[CholeraJoe]

From my FR Profile:

Memo to Terrorists*: Fear me. There are millions like me. You will not hijack any aircraft upon which I am a passenger without killing me first. If you try I will strangle you with my belt, kick you in the b*lls with my steel-toed cowboy boots or break your heathen neck with my bare hands. I will not stand by and allow this nation to become paralyzed by your threats and attacks.

Arming Pilots is only part of the solution. As in wars past, a patiotic, well-informed, well prepared citizenry is the key to victory.

I pray that there are enough of us to get the mission accomplished.

[CholeraJoe]

patiotic=patriotic

Proofreading gets difficult at my age.

[joesnuffy]

more petty bureaucrats gaining and maintaining power
at any cost...
Most of these pilots are former military pilots or in the reserves...they have flown fighters and bombers heavily armed and many are combat vets..
They have more experience in combat then the air marshals who may not even be on board
There is not one single good reason to not only arm the pilots but the stewards as well...

[William Tell]

stylin19a said: "What many do not know is...pilots became disarmed by Congress, 07/2001. Prior to that, they were allowed to carry."

In the movie "Julie" made in 1956, the pilot is contacted from the ground because there is a murderer on board and the pilot is asked something like, "You keep a revolver there with you, don't you?" The implication was that it would be rare if the pilot was not armed.

[Gritty]

Requiring them to be armed is my objective. Merely permitting them to be armed if they choose to be isn't good enough.

Having "armed" pilots should be as much a part of the aircraft emergency equipment as the emergency escape chutes. Each is essential to saving the lives of passengers in an emergency situation. We're not talking about "normal" procedures here.

That said, it is preferable for the pilots to be well trained in the most effective use of their armed force just as they are well trained on their other emergency procedures. They will be much more effective in a pinch. But, right now, not only are they being denied carrying the guns, but they are denied the good training that goes with them - all of which could save many lives and untold billions of dollars in damage.

These TSA phoobahs are worse than negligent here. If they slow-rolled necessary emergency aircraft fixes to known, dangerous mechanical problems like they are doing to this "fix", they would be subject fines and criminal penalties.

The fact this has been mandated by Congress and law instead of just the FAA makes their criminal negligence all the more astounding!

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

Many commercial pilots are still serving in the United States Military via the reserves. These weekend warriors put on their cammies, and are handed weapons by our government to maintain proficiency.

I suppose for the government to recognize this fact, and take advantage of commercial airline pilots already trained to fire pistols and other weapons by our military, is too difficult to digest. Being efficient and cost-saving just isn't in our government's instruction manuals.

[Gritty]

There is not one single good reason to not only arm the pilots but the stewards as well...

This is not as farfetched as some may think. On large military aircraft with crewmembers besides just pilots, other crewmembers besides the pilots are armed to prevent hijacking or sabotage.

I've never heard anybody complain about that.

[Chad Fairbanks]

I have very little faith in the TSA, or at least the current crop of TSA employees. Arrogant and stupid - a real bad combo...