Replies

I fly all the time and am a lifelong member of the NRA and here is why I think there could be security problems, if pilots were armed. If only US airlines flew in and out of the US-no problem, arm them all.If it is perfectly legal for US pilots to be armed, every other country in the world, that flies to the US, will want the same priviledge.Can you imagine pilots from Egyptair, Emirates,Royal Jordanian,Syrian Air,Royal Air Maroc, etc. strolling through the concourses of JFK, armed to the teeth?What if a terrorist wore a pilots uniform, with phony credentials to the airport-he would not be stopped at security and he would be free to roam the airport,armed. You can't tell foreign carriers their pilots couldn't be armed-there would be a firestorm and those countries would pull landing rights for US carriers, which would cause financial chaos. The problem is the foreign carriers. The days of docile passengers are long gone- the passengers on the AA plane from Paris, subdued the Shoebomber long before an armed captain could have gotten there. We the passengers have become the defacto sky marshalls.

Can you imagine pilots from Egyptair, Emirates,Royal Jordanian,Syrian Air,Royal Air Maroc, etc. strolling through the concourses of JFK, armed to the teeth?

There are already procedures in place for foreign air marshalls that could be applied to foreign pilots. Weapons stay on the plane in lockboxes, unless all crew leave the plane, in which case, weapons are checked in with airport police.

Can you imagine pilots from Egyptair, Emirates,Royal Jordanian,Syrian Air,Royal Air Maroc, etc.
strolling through the concourses of JFK, armed to the teeth?

Can you imagine pilots from Egyptair, Emirates,Royal Jordanian,Syrian Air,Royal Air Maroc, etc.
flying large, fuel laden aircraft in and around the Empire State building, The Statue of Liberty, the White House, the Halls of Congress, Disneyland, etc.?