[Pearman]

I smell a rat. The post says that the amendment "authorizes" the FAA to permit pilots to carry guns. Doesn't this seem to mean that the decision to carry is being left to the FAA? WELL, PILOTS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE FAA IS THE ENTITY KEEPING ANY WEAPONS OUT OF THEIR HANDS NOW.

We must have the full and exact text of the amendment posted.

[Dane]

The way I read it, is that the FAA cannot block any airline that wishes for it's Pilots to carry a firearm.

[Brookhaven]

FAA IS THE ENTITY KEEPING ANY WEAPONS OUT OF THEIR HANDS NOW

The FAA is part of the executive branch, and thus reports to the president. All it would take is an order from Bush, and they would have to issue the OK.

[Independent Lady]

"I smell a rat. The post says that the amendment "authorizes" the FAA to permit pilots to carry guns. Doesn't this seem to mean that the decision to carry is being left to the FAA? WELL, PILOTS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE FAA IS THE ENTITY KEEPING ANY WEAPONS OUT OF THEIR HANDS NOW."

In the past 4 weeks I've read somewhere something along these lines...that someone in the pilots union found out that FAA has been authorized to permit pilots to carry firearms all along....however, all the pilots that were asked said they had never heard that before. Apparently the FAA didn't WANT the pilots to be armed. Help, somebody!! Was that posted on FR or did I read that elsewhere?

[El Gato]

This is not the text of the amendment, but it is the relevant text from Sen. Smith's bill on the same subject introduced after the kamikazi hijackings.:

(a) POSSESSION OF FIREARMS ON COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS- No department or agency may prohibit a pilot, co-pilot, or navigator of a commercial aircraft, or any law enforcement personnel specifically detailed for the protection of a commercial aircraft, who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing a firearm , from possessing or carrying a firearm for the protection of the aircraft.