Safe Flying: The Case For Arming Pilots
Safe Flying Many people care about there safety when is comes to traveling. Do people understand how safe they really are? Airplane pilots have the responsibility and the skill to protect a great sum of people. Those who have ever flew on an airplane before have left there lives in the hands of the pilot. You don’t always have a smooth flight and walk out complaining but at least there are no disturbances in the cabin. Pilots must be armed in the cockpit to ensure the safety of the passengers on a commercial flight. The history of airplanes has been around for centuries. It dates all the way back to the 1900’s with two brothers named Orville and Wilbur Wright. The Wright brothers worked in a bicycle shop when they got inspired
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to fly. They began building gliders and improving it flight by flight until it was flyable. The Wright Brothers became the first people to successfully fly a plane with a person in it. In December of 1903, the Wright brothers created the first powered plane that could fly for more than an hour (History). Airplanes have come a long way since that point; however, airplanes are still not totally safe or risk. On September 11, 2001 tragedy hit for airplanes. Hijackers hijacked multiple planes, to hit multiple targets. This could have been avoided if pilots were approved to carry firearms on airplanes. Many people insist that it wouldn’t have made a difference, and could have made the situation worse if the pilots were armed and hijackers got a hold of them. Pilots can know be armed in the cockpit on aircrafts after certain requirements are met since the tragedy that occurred on September 11. The pilots were trained at a flight school in Arizona. “President Obama is quietly ending the federal firearms program, risking public safety on airlines in the name of an anti-gun ideology.” The paper notes that $2 million has been diverted from training for the program, and that approval of new pilots has “stalled out.” President Obama is quietly ending the federal firearms program, risking public safety on airlines in the name of an anti-gun ideology (Valone). Since Obama’s election, pilots have told us that the approval process for letting pilots carry guns on planes slowed significantly. He is supposed to be helping the problem but making it worse. President Obama is cutting the prices in the wrong places putting peoples live at stake for a budget cut. People safety is more important. Why not cut from the TSA, who has never stopped a terrorist attack even with all the new technology they have. Many reasons exist as to why airline pilots should be armed in the cockpit, but the strongest and most sensible reason is how much responsibility is on the pilot. A common stereotype is that pilots just take off the plane, put it in autopilot, then kick back and take a nap or watch a movie. Pilots aren’t always aware of what is going on in the cabin. If there were a disturbance in the cabin and people tried to break into the cockpit pilots would be able to defend them selves and other passengers if armed. The guns they would carry would be equipped with frangible bullets made of highly compressed, powdered alloys rather than solid lead or other metals such as those used in standard bullets. (Stark) The difference with these bullets are they wont ruin the fuselage of the airplane (body of plane). The bullets are destructive to human flesh and would tear the target up. Pilots with these bullets can protect passengers and help avoid from any terrorist attacks on planes. Pilots will also have to go through a rigorous training course in which will deputize them as Federal Flight Deck Officers. The Federal Flight Deck Officers (FFDO) program was created after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and has since trained 12,000 pilots on how to carry weapons and defend their aircraft against an attack. These Federal Flight Deck Officers are mostly ex military. That means that they have the extra gun training due to the background in the military and also specialize in combat training. The course that pilots have to go through is tough. Pilots go through dozens of simulations and practice sessions designed to be as real as instructors can make them by going live and also interacting with a computer. Pilots have blistered trigger fingers after they shoot a total of 8,000 rounds from their semiautomatic pistol in one training simulation. They also practice striking and grappling with attackers in close quarters. The training has been done in an area comparable to the size of a phone booth, in order to simulate the cockpit 's cramped quarters. Pilots must also undergo a psychological test. Pilots in the FFDO program must place their firearms in a separate lockbox when not in the cockpit because TSA says that the pilots ' jurisdiction ends at the cockpit door. Many people that are opposed to commercial pilots being armed say that it will just cause more of a threat. There are many concerns that have been raised about arming pilots or letting them carry guns, but armed pilots actually have a much easier job than air marshals. An armed marshal in a crowded cabin can be attacked from any direction. He must be able to quickly identify innocent civilians from terrorists. An armed pilot only needs to deal with the people trying to force their way into the cockpit. It is also much easier to defend the cockpit rather than to have to chase the terrorist and physically capture them, as a marshal would. The terrorists can only enter the cockpit through one narrow entrance, and armed pilots have time to prepare themselves as hijackers try to break down the strengthened cockpit doors. For example, if there was a situation to where a terrorist got into a cockpit before the pilots could react the terrorist will know have a gun as a weapon compared to a plastic knife or fake bomb. (Mackett ) People also say that if a pilot was to miss a shot that the bullet can damage the fuselage of the plane and cause the plane to suffer from depressurization problems. Opponents bring up a respectable case but most of it can be fixed or proven wrong. Arming commercial pilots will make the planes safer and trustworthier. Many people also say that innocent bystanders can get hurt or killed in a result of a pilot having to use a gun in an emergency. That’s not a good reason because cops get into shootouts and very rarely do innocent bystanders get shot or killed. Also the pilots would have gone through extensive target training to prevent them from missing their target. One pilot would be fighting off the terrorist as the other fly the plane. Six percent of those who have applied for the FFDO program have not been accepted; two percent were not qualified to apply, three percent failed the psychological evaluation, and one percent failed the background investigation (Johnson). Commercial pilots belong to one of the most respectable categories jobs out. They are responsible for many people lives at one time. Airplane pilots should be armed because in a situation that could not be resolved it could end smoothly by a pilot. The pilots would be required to take a six week training program that would teach them techniques on how to disarm a terrorist and target training. Also the ammunition for the weapons will be made out of highly compressed powdered alloys that should shatter on harder surfaces (Stark). Commercial pilots must be armed in the cockpit to insure the safety of the passengers. The chances of an aircraft being transformed into a weapon of mass destruction are diminished similar the events of September 2001 through the dual defenses of armed pilots and fortified cockpit doors. The chances of an aircraft being transformed into a weapon of mass destruction are diminished similar the events of September 2001 through the dual defenses of armed pilots and fortified cockpit doors. The pilot must check in with a Federal air Marshall (if on his flight) and tell him that he has a gun prior to flight. Airlines have also started to but more secure doors to the cockpit that will not break as easy and also be bulletproof so no one can shoot through it. They have also put a reinforced steal bar through the middle of the door to prevent anyone from kicking in the door or using a stewardess cart to try and ram the door open.
Works Cited Frank, Thomas. "More than 10% of Pilots Allowed to Fly Armed." Usa Today. 1 Apr. 2008. Web. 12 Sept. 2011. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-03-31-armed-pilots_N.htm.
"History Of Airplanes." Web. .
Johnson, Jeff.
"Pilots Criticize, TSA Defends 'Armed Pilot ' Program." 7 July 2008. Web. Sept.-Oct. 2011. .
Mackett, David. "Airline Pilots Security Alliance - The Case For Arming Pilots." APSA - Airline Pilots Security Alliance. Web. 16 Sept. 2011. http://www.secure-skies.org/Arming_Pilots.php. Shenon, Philip. "A NATION AT WAR: AIRLINE SECURITY; Airline Pilots Set To Carry Firearms - New York Times." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 18 Apr. 2003. Web. 16 Sept. 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/18/us/a-nation-at-war-airline-security-airline-pilots-set-to-carry-firearms.html.
Stark, Lisa. "Should Airline Pilots Be Armed? - ABC News." ABCNews.com: Daily News, Breaking News and Video Broadcasts - ABC News. Web. 16 Sept. 2011. http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=92434
Valone, Paul. "Is Obama Trying to End Armed Airline Pilot Program? - Charlotte Gun Rights | Examiner.com." Welcome to Examiner.com | Examiner.com. Web. 29 Sept. 2011. http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-charlotte/is-obama-trying-to-end-armed-airline-pilot-program
Wilber, Del Quentin. "New Demands for Armed Pilots." The Washington Post: National, World & D.C. Area News and Headlines - The Washington Post. 24 Jan. 2007. Web. 16 Sept. 2011.
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to fly. They began building gliders and improving it flight by flight until it was flyable. The Wright Brothers became the first people to successfully fly a plane with a person in it. In December of 1903, the Wright brothers created the first powered plane that could fly for more than an hour (History). Airplanes have come a long way since that point; however, airplanes are still not totally safe or risk. On September 11, 2001 tragedy hit for airplanes. Hijackers hijacked multiple planes, to hit multiple targets. This could have been avoided if pilots were approved to carry firearms on airplanes. Many people insist that it wouldn’t have made a difference, and could have made the situation worse if the pilots were armed and hijackers got a hold of them. Pilots can know be armed in the cockpit on aircrafts after certain requirements are met since the tragedy that occurred on September 11. The pilots were trained at a flight school in Arizona. “President Obama is quietly ending the federal firearms program, risking public safety on airlines in the name of an anti-gun ideology.” The paper notes that $2 million has been diverted from training for the program, and that approval of new pilots has “stalled out.” President Obama is quietly ending the federal firearms program, risking public safety on airlines in the name of an anti-gun ideology (Valone). Since Obama’s election, pilots have told us that the approval process for letting pilots carry guns on planes slowed significantly. He is supposed to be helping the problem but making it worse. President Obama is cutting the prices in the wrong places putting peoples live at stake for a budget cut. People safety is more important. Why not cut from the TSA, who has never stopped a terrorist attack even with all the new technology they have. Many reasons exist as to why airline pilots should be armed in the cockpit, but the strongest and most sensible reason is how much responsibility is on the pilot. A common stereotype is that pilots just take off the plane, put it in autopilot, then kick back and take a nap or watch a movie. Pilots aren’t always aware of what is going on in the cabin. If there were a disturbance in the cabin and people tried to break into the cockpit pilots would be able to defend them selves and other passengers if armed. The guns they would carry would be equipped with frangible bullets made of highly compressed, powdered alloys rather than solid lead or other metals such as those used in standard bullets. (Stark) The difference with these bullets are they wont ruin the fuselage of the airplane (body of plane). The bullets are destructive to human flesh and would tear the target up. Pilots with these bullets can protect passengers and help avoid from any terrorist attacks on planes. Pilots will also have to go through a rigorous training course in which will deputize them as Federal Flight Deck Officers. The Federal Flight Deck Officers (FFDO) program was created after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and has since trained 12,000 pilots on how to carry weapons and defend their aircraft against an attack. These Federal Flight Deck Officers are mostly ex military. That means that they have the extra gun training due to the background in the military and also specialize in combat training. The course that pilots have to go through is tough. Pilots go through dozens of simulations and practice sessions designed to be as real as instructors can make them by going live and also interacting with a computer. Pilots have blistered trigger fingers after they shoot a total of 8,000 rounds from their semiautomatic pistol in one training simulation. They also practice striking and grappling with attackers in close quarters. The training has been done in an area comparable to the size of a phone booth, in order to simulate the cockpit 's cramped quarters. Pilots must also undergo a psychological test. Pilots in the FFDO program must place their firearms in a separate lockbox when not in the cockpit because TSA says that the pilots ' jurisdiction ends at the cockpit door. Many people that are opposed to commercial pilots being armed say that it will just cause more of a threat. There are many concerns that have been raised about arming pilots or letting them carry guns, but armed pilots actually have a much easier job than air marshals. An armed marshal in a crowded cabin can be attacked from any direction. He must be able to quickly identify innocent civilians from terrorists. An armed pilot only needs to deal with the people trying to force their way into the cockpit. It is also much easier to defend the cockpit rather than to have to chase the terrorist and physically capture them, as a marshal would. The terrorists can only enter the cockpit through one narrow entrance, and armed pilots have time to prepare themselves as hijackers try to break down the strengthened cockpit doors. For example, if there was a situation to where a terrorist got into a cockpit before the pilots could react the terrorist will know have a gun as a weapon compared to a plastic knife or fake bomb. (Mackett ) People also say that if a pilot was to miss a shot that the bullet can damage the fuselage of the plane and cause the plane to suffer from depressurization problems. Opponents bring up a respectable case but most of it can be fixed or proven wrong. Arming commercial pilots will make the planes safer and trustworthier. Many people also say that innocent bystanders can get hurt or killed in a result of a pilot having to use a gun in an emergency. That’s not a good reason because cops get into shootouts and very rarely do innocent bystanders get shot or killed. Also the pilots would have gone through extensive target training to prevent them from missing their target. One pilot would be fighting off the terrorist as the other fly the plane. Six percent of those who have applied for the FFDO program have not been accepted; two percent were not qualified to apply, three percent failed the psychological evaluation, and one percent failed the background investigation (Johnson). Commercial pilots belong to one of the most respectable categories jobs out. They are responsible for many people lives at one time. Airplane pilots should be armed because in a situation that could not be resolved it could end smoothly by a pilot. The pilots would be required to take a six week training program that would teach them techniques on how to disarm a terrorist and target training. Also the ammunition for the weapons will be made out of highly compressed powdered alloys that should shatter on harder surfaces (Stark). Commercial pilots must be armed in the cockpit to insure the safety of the passengers. The chances of an aircraft being transformed into a weapon of mass destruction are diminished similar the events of September 2001 through the dual defenses of armed pilots and fortified cockpit doors. The chances of an aircraft being transformed into a weapon of mass destruction are diminished similar the events of September 2001 through the dual defenses of armed pilots and fortified cockpit doors. The pilot must check in with a Federal air Marshall (if on his flight) and tell him that he has a gun prior to flight. Airlines have also started to but more secure doors to the cockpit that will not break as easy and also be bulletproof so no one can shoot through it. They have also put a reinforced steal bar through the middle of the door to prevent anyone from kicking in the door or using a stewardess cart to try and ram the door open.
Works Cited Frank, Thomas. "More than 10% of Pilots Allowed to Fly Armed." Usa Today. 1 Apr. 2008. Web. 12 Sept. 2011. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-03-31-armed-pilots_N.htm.
"History Of Airplanes." Web. .
Johnson, Jeff.
"Pilots Criticize, TSA Defends 'Armed Pilot ' Program." 7 July 2008. Web. Sept.-Oct. 2011. .
Mackett, David. "Airline Pilots Security Alliance - The Case For Arming Pilots." APSA - Airline Pilots Security Alliance. Web. 16 Sept. 2011. http://www.secure-skies.org/Arming_Pilots.php. Shenon, Philip. "A NATION AT WAR: AIRLINE SECURITY; Airline Pilots Set To Carry Firearms - New York Times." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 18 Apr. 2003. Web. 16 Sept. 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/18/us/a-nation-at-war-airline-security-airline-pilots-set-to-carry-firearms.html.
Stark, Lisa. "Should Airline Pilots Be Armed? - ABC News." ABCNews.com: Daily News, Breaking News and Video Broadcasts - ABC News. Web. 16 Sept. 2011. http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=92434
Valone, Paul. "Is Obama Trying to End Armed Airline Pilot Program? - Charlotte Gun Rights | Examiner.com." Welcome to Examiner.com | Examiner.com. Web. 29 Sept. 2011. http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-charlotte/is-obama-trying-to-end-armed-airline-pilot-program
Wilber, Del Quentin. "New Demands for Armed Pilots." The Washington Post: National, World & D.C. Area News and Headlines - The Washington Post. 24 Jan. 2007. Web. 16 Sept. 2011.
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