A suggestion made tonight on Fox news is that the cockpits should be fortified and that there should be a lock box in the cockpit with either a handgun or a stun gun. My personal opinion is that there should be a lock box with a sig p-220 and that the flight deck crew should be trained well and that anyone that penetrates the cockpit door is in deep shit. Since most Airline transport pilots are former military I don't feel that the training would be that complicated. What do you all think?

I'm all for trained gun use!

If we are going to trust them with our lives in flying, why not trust them with a gun?

The argument was that basically the airline pilots were not smart enough to be trained to handle weapons, since some are not ex-military. Considering you trust these with our lives everytime we fly, this is ridiculous.  The anti-guns are afraid that a rightous use of a weapon will erode their base. The person they had on was more anti-gun than anti-airline pilots having guns.  Forget handguns.  A .45APC is going to do a lot of damage in a pressurized cabin.  How about an M4 with TAP rounds?

A P-220 with a 185gr. Hydra-shock is the issue weapon system with the Air Marshalls. A ten ring is the one that counts!!!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                          
September 12, 2001

CONTACT:
Dr. Ignatius Piazza
1.800.987.7719
Fax: 831.684.2137
e-mail: [email protected]
http://www.frontsight.com

FREE GUN TRAINING FOR COMMERCIAL PILOTS

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA:  In the aftermath of the World Trade Center attack, Front Sight Firearms Training Institute, which claims to be the world leader in providing intensified courses in the defensive use of firearms for private citizens and law enforcement alike, feels they have the
answer to stopping commercial airliners from being used as ballistic missiles.  Front Sight will train every commercial pilot in the world FREE OF CHARGE in the defensive use of the handgun.  Front Sight will accept for training all certified pilots and co-pilots from all commercial airliners that submit a request for training on commercial airliner letterhead, designating the pilot and co-pilot to carry a
handgun in the cockpit to defend access to the airliner. The request for training letter must have the notarized signature of the airline's chief executive. Front Sight's Founder and Director, Dr. Ignatius Piazza understands that his offer may offend those who lack resolve
in stopping terrorists from turning airliners into weapons of mass destruction. However, he is quick to point out that the World Trade Center attack is a new realm of terror, not previously witnessed in the world. Prior to the World Trade
Center attack, terrorists were content to hijack planes and divert them to safe landings in exchange for negotiated release of imprisoned comrades. In extreme cases, terrorists
have committed suicide by exploding the grounded plane. Airliners have also been targeted with bombs and possibly missiles to spectacularly explode in flight, killing all on board.  The World Trade Center attack was a new form of
terrorism, where the commercial airliner, loaded with fuel for a cross country flight is redirected from the cockpit and turned into an accurate missile of mass destruction. Front Sight knows this form of terrorism can be stopped immediately by arming all pilots and co-pilots and training them in the proper methods of defending their cockpits. "Commercial airliners must be willing to take an
uncompromising stand that will not allow anyone, under any circumstances to access the controls of an airliner," says Piazza. "The pilot and co-pilot, are responsible for the security of the cockpit.  Without a handgun to defend it,
the cockpit crew is easily defeated.  However, when both pilot and co-pilot are armed and trained by Front Sight, they have the tools, ability, and will to defend themselves and repel the murderous intent of terrorists. In an
emergency, the pilot can fly the plane to a safe landing while the co-pilot covers the door of the cockpit- ready and willing to use deadly force to prevent anyone from opening the door."


Dr. Ignatius Piazza
                                          1.800.987.7719
Front Sight Firearms Training Institute www.frontsight.com
Captain Dennis Vied, retired TWA Pilot          925.455.0133
Aaron Benedetti, United Airlines Co-Pilot       925.454.5214
Lt.Bob Redmond, Nye County SWAT Commander       775.751.7002
Mark Donovan, SouthWest Pilot                   702.270.3912
                               

http://www.frontsight.com

Anyone that has an ATP I suggest to you that you take up the offer from front site and that you get on your senators and congressmen to allow you to employee the use of deadly force on an aircraft. I have no connection to Front site but I can tell about their reputation among people that have had their training.

Aren't most of these pilots ex-military pilots?!  Just give each one a .45 filled up with glasers and make it an automatic, instant deathpenalty offence to pester commercial airline pilots.

"Knock, knock, knock," on the cockpit door.
"Who is it?"
(muffled, accented voice) "Allah akhbar!"
BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM.

[chainsawkill]

Arming Pilots is neither here nor there, since they should be locked in the cockpit with a bomb proof, pressurised door between them and the cabin like on ElAl.

Its the flight attendants that need to be armed.
And planeclothes sky marshals should be scattered at random to help them.

If it can be made so that improper ammo wont bring down a airliner they should just let the passengers bring their weapons with them.

If you guys will remember back to the 60's and 70's, there used to be armed Air Marshals onboard most if not all commercial flights.  It did seem to curtail some of the hi-jackings at the time.  They quit doing this to appease the all know liberals.  I say bring 'em back.  Arm the pilots and fortify the cockpits, too.