[OT] USA - TSA Obstructing Armed Pilots?

In article ,
"Paul J. Adam" wrote:

Now stop this deviant behaviour at once and go back to arguing with
everything I say

See other post.



--
cirby at cfl.rr.com

Remember: Objects in rearview mirror may be hallucinations.
Slam on brakes accordingly.

In article , Chad Irby
wrote:

A minor scenario: If a law officer (or qualified agent of the
government) wants to fly on a plane, not only do they get to carry their
guns, they get a discount. A *big* discount. Maybe free. With perks.
All they have to do is show up sober, not drink on the flight, and be
ready to shoot someone in the right situation. A minor training course
on shooting people in planes (along with How to Recognize a Terrorist),
and you get a little card that makes all of this go smoothly.

Much cheaper than trying to hire a few thousand Air Marshalls to try and
cover all flights. Sure, you won't get 100% coverage, but you'd
certainly get a lot with that cheap/free ticket.

Trouble is, most (that's most) police officers are fairly lousy shots.

There was an incident in downtown L.A. a few years ago where 5
sheriffs deputys were chasing a perp down the street. He's shooting
over the shoulder at them, they're chasing him.
He makes the big mistake...runs down a driveway into an underground
parking lot, and ooops: the gate is down and he can't get out.
The cops are at the top, he's at the bottom, straight line of sight.
He starts shooting at them.
They shoot back. Cops shot something like 45 rounds at this guy in half
a minute and hit him exactly once. Winged him in the arm.
Spray and pray.

This is what the TSA with their Air Marshal program is intent on avoiding
and I say good for them.

I'm just glad MY car wasn't parked in that underground lot.

--
Harry Andreas
Engineering raconteur

In article ,
(Harry Andreas) wrote:

In article , Chad Irby
wrote:

A minor scenario: If a law officer (or qualified agent of the
government) wants to fly on a plane, not only do they get to carry their
guns, they get a discount. A *big* discount. Maybe free. With perks.
All they have to do is show up sober, not drink on the flight, and be
ready to shoot someone in the right situation. A minor training course
on shooting people in planes (along with How to Recognize a Terrorist),
and you get a little card that makes all of this go smoothly.

Much cheaper than trying to hire a few thousand Air Marshalls to try and
cover all flights. Sure, you won't get 100% coverage, but you'd
certainly get a lot with that cheap/free ticket.

Trouble is, most (that's most) police officers are fairly lousy shots.

That's why you put them through the course - you reject the ones who
can't shoot.

This is what the TSA with their Air Marshal program is intent on avoiding
and I say good for them.

....and if adding a lot of other officers to the ranks of "people who can
shoot," it's better for everyone.

--
cirby at cfl.rr.com

Remember: Objects in rearview mirror may be hallucinations.
Slam on brakes accordingly.

"Paul J. Adam" wrote in
:

In message , Chad Irby
writes
In article ,
"Paul J. Adam" wrote:
I'm not opposed to pilots having the option of going armed as part of
the security system: I _am_ opposed to flight crew armament being the
entire security system.

Good point, but "being the entire security system" would entail stopping
airport gate security, stopping background checks on airline empolyees,
and tying all passengers into their seats so nobody could interfere with
possible hijackers.

So allowing pilots to be armed will completely and totally fix all
airline security issues?

No,but it can be implemented virtually immediately,and at little cost,no
added personnel,and greatly complicates a hijack attempt.


I think the contribution may be overstated, but it may also save a
situation one day. There are issues to deal with but it's not a
showstopper.

But "better doors for the cockpit" strike me as a much more important
issue, regardless of the armament of the pilots: having failed to keep
the threat off the aircraft, it's better to keep the Bad Guys out of the
cockpit with the option of shooting the ones who get in, than rely only
on shooting them. And a better door means that many attempts won't get
in at all, with only those succeeding discovering the armament, skill
and determination of the flight crew (whose main job, after all, is to
Fly The Damn Aircraft)

Well,one "better door" already has been breached,according to one pilot who
wrote into AvLeak.(beverage cart 'test' by cabin cleaners)

Trouble is, that's more expensive and difficult to implement, even if
it's also more useful.

I agree it's necessary to implement,but as you said,it takes time to
implement,and costs quite a bit.

For that matter, why can't _I_ have a handgun on an airliner? I've got
the demonstrated skills and experience, and clearance out of the ears.


A lot of people are asking that question.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net