Obama to stop pilots from carrying guns

[Michelle]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/m...program-that-l/

This is being kept rather low-key.

What do you guys think?

[zitro1987]

There's a right way and a wrong way to face terrorism.

The wrong way is to take away rights in the name of security (patriot act)

The right way is to focus on defensive measures that don't take away any rights of American citizens.

Obama made a mistake. these are the kinds of measures that could save over a hundred lives.

[Pseudo Intellectual]

He's just making his plane-hijacking terrorist buddies' jobs easier.

[Leonardo]

No longer would unarmed pilots be defenseless as remorseless hijackers seized control of aircraft and rammed them into buildings.

I love the emotional plea the editorial makes, skewing the perception of the viewer into outrage. Can I ask if this particular newspaper is generally politically biased? Never mind - just read the Wiki link for the paper.

If the highjacker has enough control of the airplane to be able to fly it into a building, it's likely they have already gained control of any firearm(s) the crew have.

If, as one of the comment below the article states...

They [pilots who complete the Federal training to carry the firearm] are in fact FLIO's with limited authority that encompasses only the cockpit. If they only had a concealed weapon permit they could carry anywhere___they can't. They don't have a concealed weapon permit. A concealed weapon permit allows one to conceal it under a coat or such. Most states do not recognize other state's gun laws. They have to keep their weapon in a locked container until they are seated in the cockpit and have to place it back in a locked container when they exit the cockpit.

...then having the firearm on board has very limited (probably negligible) security value.

I would suggest, given the questionable value of pilots having firearms on commercial flights, the program is being halted because it is expensive to operate. It is (as it would appear) not part of an 'anti-gun compaign' but part of a cost-saving initiative that is being made out to be what it is not in an attempt to smear the Administration.

Edited March 22, 2009 by Leonardo

[AztecInca]

Pseudo unless you actually have something constructive, intelligent and relevant to the topic at hand I would advise not posting. Your comment is dangerously close to trolling and flamebait. Consider this your first and only warning.

[zitro1987]

If the highjacker has enough control of the airplane to be able to fly it into a building, it's likely they have already gained control of any firearm(s) the crew have.

Excuse me if I seem like I don't get it, but that sentence doesn't make sense to me.

If a pilot has a gun and reacts well and manages to kill the hijackers, over a hundred lives could be saved (hundreds more if the plane would have crashed into a building).

Sure, it may not always work, but that doesn't mean we should get rid of this policy.

[CurlyQLink]

It is a mistake. The 9-11 terrorists took control of the planes with simple razor knifes. Had the pilots been armed the outcome may have been different. Also, today the cockpit doors are secured so entry by unwanteds is no longer that easy. Obama really has no clue what he is doing. We will all live to regret these dumb decisions.....

[Thanato]

This is a good idea. To be honest a Pilot wont have time to 'engage' the terrorists in battle if he is busy flying the airplane. Air Martials are the better choice. They are trained to fight in CQC and their primary job is the defence of the aircraft.

A Pilots primary job is to fly the aircraft, there jobs should be to fly the aircraft and make sure that it can be landed safely. Who will fly the airplane when the pilots are busy fighting the terrorists or, dead?

~Thanato

[Ufo Believer]

Very bad idea. What if the pilots needed thoes weapons to stop a hijacking in progress instead of just wating in the cockpit to be killed?

Edited March 22, 2009 by Ufo Believer

[Thanato]

Very bad idea. What if the pilots needed thoes weapons to stop a hijacking in progress instead of just wating in the cockpit to be killed?

Want to know whats better then a gun? A bullet resistant door with very good locks so the Pilot can land the plane so people with the proper training to stop the hijacking.

~Thanato

[Ufo Believer]

yes, it would, but I don't think planes have thoes types of doors, do they? If they do, then have the guns just in case.

[Bill Hill]

wouldn't carry a gun encourage more pilots to commit suicide?

[Thanato]

yes, it would, but I don't think planes have thoes types of doors, do they? If they do, then have the guns just in case.

Just in case of what? Someone breaks through teh door and kills you before you can get the pistol out of the holster? or grabs the pistol before you even know whats what? Pilots are trained to fly planes, the are not experts in CQC. but bullet resistance doors for the cockpits with solid locks so the Pilot can land the plane and let people who ARE trained in CQC, hostage rescue, etc, deal with it.

Besides how many planes have been hijacked in the last while?

~Thanato

[Ufo Believer]

The part where you said,If "someone breaks through the door", ya, just in case if that happens.

Edited March 22, 2009 by Ufo Believer

[CurlyQLink]

Its the last line of defense. Maybe had the 9-11 pilots been armed they could have at least fought back. Oh, and there is a thing called "autopilot".

[el midgetron]

I think along with a boarding pass they should issue every passenger a .45.

Is anyone going to try to hijack a plane if everyone on board is strapped?

Anyway, every time you fly you already put your life in the hands of the pilot. While air martials are better than nothing, they are not on every flight, pilots are. As a last line of defense, I think its a good idea to not only allow pilots to be armed but it should be a requirement and the tactical use of should be included in their training.

[Thanato]

Autopilot can fly the airplane, but it can't land it. If something breaks through the door the Pilot wont have enough time to draw his firearm, or reach for a predrawn firearm. Sky Martials are the best first line defence against hijacking.

~Thanato

[CurlyQLink]

I agree, skymarshalls are the best but they are not on every flight. And what good is landing the plane if the pilots are dead? The 9-11 hijackers had no plans on landing any of those planes. You cant just hand it over to these b*******, you need to be able to fight back. And the pilots all go through classes on proper use and defensive tactics. They arent just handed a gun and left to their own devices.

[el midgetron]

That would assume the pilot(s) were completely unawear of the situation. I strongly suspect that if prior alerts in the cockpit had not already been raised, that the pilot would be well awear of someone attempting to break through one of these reinforced doors before they gained entrance.