Newsstand - Rejected for guns, pilots criticize test

Washington Times Article (http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040204-100150-3132r.htm)

"Pilots already trained to carry guns and operate sophisticated weapons systems are among 100 applicants rejected from a federal program to arm flight-deck officers to protect aircraft from terrorist attacks...

...The unexplained rejections, gun-handling rules pilots say threaten security, and the declining number of pilots now willing to participate in the program have several members of Congress drafting legislation to eliminate "roadblocks" they say the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has created....

..."We are talking about professionals here, but it's just been roadblock after roadblock at TSA. The only thing I can think of is, it's a liberal, knee-jerk reaction to guns," said Rep. Joe Wilson, South Carolina Republican."

Hey, Joe! You ought to know all about knee-jerk reactions. You created this disgrace of an agency and you voted for the Patriot Act.

I am still against arming pilots. But rejecting applications by pilots who want to carry guns and then denying them an explanation as to why they were denied is just another example of the disgraceful and un-American practices of the TSA.

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"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry

Almost two months ago the Washington Times wrote a news story about this same disgrace - pilots don't want to run the gauntlet set up by the TSA. Here's our thread about it from December.

www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum109/HTML/007663.html (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum109/HTML/007663.html)

As I said then - no matter which side of the armed pilot debate appeals to you, the TSA has willfully failed to implement the will of the people on this issue. For that, the leaders of the TSA should be imprisoned.

[This message has been edited by FWAAA (edited Feb 05, 2004).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Spiff:
I am still against arming pilots. But rejecting applications by pilots who want to carry guns and then denying them an explanation as to why they were denied is just another example of the disgraceful and un-American practices of the TSA.</font>I agree w/you about the guns, but please ...

The TSA can't tell people why they're not fit to carry guns. It's a matter of national security. If they told them they'd have to kill them. I mean, after all, there *IS* a war on. These people should consider themselves lucky to be allowed to pilot the planes they're asking to be able to protext. Besides, have you looked at any of them? It's obvious that they can't be trusted!

ps: Think of the children!

Though I don't think we need ANY guns on an airplane, this just continues to show what we are up against. The TSA is really taking a scary approach.

Besides, the pilot is allowed to control a much larger weapon than a gun already. In case some forgot, pilots used airplanes as the ultimate weapon on 9/11. They are still able to do exactly the same thing and the only thing stopping them is the co-pilot and engineer/navigator if there is one.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> ... and the only thing stopping them is the co-pilot and engineer/navigator if there is one.

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By, God! You're right. We should be requiring every member of the flight crew to be armed, and to have their weapon unholstered and in their hand in case one of the others tries to take over.

I mean, the world changed, we can't be too careful, think of the recriminations if it happened, no liberty is safe against unreasoned fear ... and many other good reasons.

Best.