Free Republic

Jets Remain Vulnerable, Feds Block Guns in Cockpit Jeff Louderback Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003 Two years have passed since the attacks of Sept. 11, which spurred Congress to authorize pilots to carry firearms. But as America remembers the horrific hijackings of Sept. 11, the U.S. government has impeded efforts to arm U.S. pilots, leaving civilian airlines still vulnerable to armed hijackers. Today, fewer than 150 pilots are approved to carry guns, according to Bob Lambert, president of the Airline Pilots Security Alliance (APSA). Though Congress approved the firearms program for pilots, it left its implementation to the Transportation Security Administration...