Absolutely against pilots carrying guns. Does anyone recall a few years back the Fedex flight crew (navigator) who used a pick-ax to attempt to disable the pilot and co-pilot so he could crash the plane into the Fedex headquarter bldg in Memphis? There is also an older story in the 50's or 60's where a pilot got blamed for crashing the plane when he was shot in the head. Who's to control a suicidal pilot or crew who uses the gun on either passengers or fellow flight crew in a suicide bid? How comfortable is a work environment where you not only have to worry about flying a complex machine on course and avoid disaster, on top of having to worry about having to pull a gun out to shoot another person or possibly a crazed colleague? I know for sure in my job I won't feel safe if my co-worker has a gun in his cube (even if it is to stop other people who go postal - who's to say my co-worker won't go postal on me?)

This is all besides the issue. These days passengers are smart enough to know that they need to actively intervene should someone be stupid enough to try to take over an airplane. The real threat is unscanned luggage. While the captain and co-pilot and the air marshalls feel very comfortable carrying their Smith & Wesson's onboard, an explosive device in a luggage in the cargo area can easily bring everyone down to earth in pieces.

Why don't people focus on the real threats rather than reacting to past threats? wake up folks!!!