Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

U.S. Won't Allow Guns in Cockpits
AP ^ | 2-21-2002 | JONATHAN D. SALANT

Posted on 05/21/2002 7:34:17 AM PDT by Cagey

WASHINGTON (AP) - The federal government said Tuesday that pilots will not be allowed to have guns in the cockpits of commercial airplanes.

The announcement was made at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing by John Magaw, undersecretary for transportation security. It followed months of debate over whether arming pilots would be a deterrent to hijackers.

Both Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta and Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge previously indicated their opposition to arming pilots.

Magaw gave no reason for his decision, which was announced in response to a question from Arizona Sen. John McCain, the top Republican on the committee.

Magaw said a formal announcement will be made later in the week.

Airline pilots have been pushing for guns, saying it would allow them to confront a hijacker who breaks into the cockpit. Hijackers took over four commercial airlines on Sept. 11, crashing two of them into the World Trade Center and a third into the Pentagon. The fourth crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.

Flight attendants, meanwhile, have advocated nonlethal weapons, such as stun guns, that they could use in emergencies.

Sen. Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., who chairs the Commerce Committee, said guns would not be needed as long as pilots kept cockpit doors locked while in flight.

"You can put the rule in right now and cut out all the argument about pistols and stun guns," Hollings said.

Opponents of arming pilots have said reinforced cockpit doors now required on all planes mean that pistols are unnecessary. They have also expressed concern that an errant shot might hit a passenger or damage a key electrical system on the plane.

Two House Republicans have introduced legislation to arm pilots and the House Transportation Committee is scheduled to take up the bill this week.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Government
KEYWORDS: aircraft; banglist; guns; pilots
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 361-367 next last
To: Cagey
I wonder how many will die in the back of the plane because of this anti-second ammendment bill. An armed pilot could save the passengers, too.
21 posted on 05/21/2002 7:43:53 AM PDT by concerned about politics
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cagey;boris
Time for a pilot strike.

And if that doesn't work, a passenger strike.

Agree and agree!

22 posted on 05/21/2002 7:45:13 AM PDT by leadpenny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Cagey
And if that doesn't work, a passenger strike.

Already in progress. I'm not flying commercial airlines until the pilots (minimum) are armed. Personal policy.

23 posted on 05/21/2002 7:46:01 AM PDT by DE50AE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: boris
Was just skimming the responses before I made that response,so ditto,let the strike begin!
24 posted on 05/21/2002 7:46:15 AM PDT by Minnesoootan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: mattdono
If this wasn't so sad it would be funny.

No guns for pilots, but if terrorists take control of the plane, a fighter jet shoots it down.

And recently a telephone number has been proposed for passengers to call in the event of a hijack:

Passenger: "Help, we've been hijacked!"

Telephone Operator: "Don't worry, mam, we'll send up a jet to blow you out of the sky immediately. Please stay on the line...."

IDIOTS!!!

25 posted on 05/21/2002 7:47:02 AM PDT by freeeee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: All
Just kidding. Our wise and benevolent leaders are going to treat us to a miserable round of pilot strikes, as if we don't have enough trouble . . .

Please support the pilots.

26 posted on 05/21/2002 7:47:14 AM PDT by Crowcreek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Cagey
Sen. Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., who chairs the Commerce Committee, said guns would not be needed as long as pilots kept cockpit doors locked while in flight.

And your house will never be robbed if you lock the front door.

Hollings is self-serving slime. I wonder who bribed/contributed to him for this decision? Is he now directly on the terrorist payroll as much as he is Disney's?

27 posted on 05/21/2002 7:48:30 AM PDT by Quila
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ancesthntr
Or is it that they just don't care about us average taxpaying, law-abiding citizens (after all, they all fly on military jets where the pilots DO have guns)?

Just like their friend Rosie. Protect the "elite" and screw the sheeple. What's a few lives of the great unwashed as long as they're safe, aye?

28 posted on 05/21/2002 7:48:42 AM PDT by concerned about politics
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Cagey
They have also expressed concern that an errant shot might hit a passenger or damage a key electrical system on the plane.

If given a choice between these possibilities and being blasted out of the sky by an F-16...well, give the freaking pilots guns.

29 posted on 05/21/2002 7:50:26 AM PDT by mconder
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Crowcreek
Not to worry, the government will enjoin the pilots from striking.
30 posted on 05/21/2002 7:51:24 AM PDT by NittanyLion
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: RoughDobermann
How nice it will be to have a cockpit door no one can get past when the pilot goes nuts. Arm these people.
31 posted on 05/21/2002 7:51:46 AM PDT by Bahbah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: freeeee
I don't know what the President has to do with this, per se. Granted, he hasn't pushed for it, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Whatever he says he wants, the demoIDIOTs will oppose (unless it is confiscating all guns from everybody, which is what the demoMORONs want).

I do agree that he should have made it clear to Norm Mineta, who should have pushed for arming of the pilots.

A simple equation, the terrorist cannot steer the plane into a building if they don't control the cockpit. The reinforced door should be a compliment to the pistol. A bullet in the hijackers head is the preferable result of a hijacking.

But, I must admit, the pilots also have the plane to use as a weapon. They can do a snap roll, which would likely send the hijackers flying, knocking them unconscious or snapping their neck even. In fact, if I were a pilot, I would make this announcement:

"With the possiblity of hijacking at an all-time high, I am asking that the following be done. If this plane is hijacked, you have 15 seconds to put your seatbelt on. For the hijackers to gain control of this plane, they will have to get into this cockpit. THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT! If a hijacking takes place, buckle your seatbelt and grab a barf bag, 'cause we are going for a ride. I will be in control of the plane the whole time, so just pretend it is a roller coaster ride. I can assure you this, no hijacker will make it to the cockpit door. After our rollercoaster ride and the hijaker(s) unconsciousness, I ask that five of the largest, strongest people on the plane get out of their seat and bludgeon the hijacker(s) to death. We clean the carpet later.

Thanks for flying with us today."

I think that could be just as effective.
32 posted on 05/21/2002 7:51:49 AM PDT by mattdono
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: 1Old Pro
Politicians as a whole are scared of guns and have absolutely no idea how they are used daily to stop crime.

Conversely, our crooked politicians as a whole are scared of guns because they know how they are used daily to stop crime.

33 posted on 05/21/2002 7:52:51 AM PDT by GatĂșn(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: concerned about politics
Another reason not to fly. I hope the pilots go on strike until Bush and his useful idiots come to their senses.
34 posted on 05/21/2002 7:54:24 AM PDT by Truth29
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: freeeee
That is a VERY good point! Ahh, paradox? If only politicians could see this...
35 posted on 05/21/2002 7:55:00 AM PDT by mattdono
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: boris;All

ALPA Advocates Bill to Arm Flight Deck Crews

Let the Pilots know we back them.

36 posted on 05/21/2002 7:58:04 AM PDT by Cagey
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: NittanyLion
Not to worry, the government will enjoin the pilots from striking.

Wouldn't that be the frosting on the cake ??

"Let them eat cake !"

37 posted on 05/21/2002 7:59:14 AM PDT by Crowcreek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: DE50AE
Already in progress. I'm not flying commercial airlines until the pilots (minimum) are armed. Personal policy.

Screw that. I ain't flying until I am armed. You don't trust me with a weapon, I don't trust you with my life.

38 posted on 05/21/2002 7:59:31 AM PDT by adx
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: RoughDobermann
Opponents of arming pilots have said reinforced cockpit doors now required on all planes mean that pistols are unnecessary.

The little prop jobber i flew on recently had a CURTAIN seperating me from the cockpit! A curtain! And I could see around it that the pilots were eating a pizza!

39 posted on 05/21/2002 8:01:51 AM PDT by Phantom Lord
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Cagey
Oh well!!!! I hope the passengers stay on high alert. Unarmed Americans are the only hope we have in preventing another 9/11.
40 posted on 05/21/2002 8:02:08 AM PDT by Mixer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 361-367 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson