Originally Posted by law dawg

The TPC is the firearms course the pre-9/11 FAMs used. It was abolished in early 2002

Originally Posted by GAO 04-242

Changes to the Training Curriculum Helped Expedite Deployment:

To deploy the requisite number of air marshals by the Deputy
Secretary's July 2002 deadline, the Service revised and abbreviated its
training program. From October 2001 through July 2002, it modified the
air marshal curriculum incrementally, eventually reducing the original
14-week program to about 5 weeks for candidates without prior law
enforcement experience and about 1 week for candidates with such
experience. The revised curriculum was designed to provide candidates
with the basic law enforcement knowledge, skills, and abilities needed
to perform their duties as air marshals, including knowledge of the
Service's rules and regulations, physical skills, and basic and
advanced marksmanship. The curriculum no longer included certain
elements of the original training program, such as driving skills and
cockpit familiarization, because these were not deemed critical for air
marshals to perform their duties. The curriculum also eliminated a 1-
week's visit to an airline and some instruction in the Service's
policies and procedures, which was to be provided on the job. Moreover,
although the curriculum retained instruction in both basic and advanced
marksmanship, air marshal candidates no longer had to pass an advanced
marksmanship test to qualify for employment. Candidates were still
required to pass [the federal law enforcement Practical Pistol Cource (PPC)] with a minimum score of 255 out of a possible 300--the highest qualification standard for any federal law enforcement agency, according to the Service.

Originally Posted by GAO 04-242

Although the Service is now providing additional marksmanship training,
its decision not to restore the advanced marksmanship test [ATPC]
as a qualification standard for employment has proved controversial.
Passing this test would require candidates to demonstrate their speed
and accuracy in a confined environment similar to the environment on
board an aircraft. The DOT IG's report suggested that the Service
needed to adopt a firearms qualification standard that was more
stringent and comprehensive than the basic firearms qualifying test.
The Service disagreed, emphasizing that its minimum score is the most
stringent in federal law enforcement and adding that its 4-week course
provides further training in advanced firearms skills. Our review of
the Service's documentation confirmed that instruction in advanced
marksmanship is a critical part of this training, even though passing
this element is no longer a condition of employment.

Originally Posted by law dawg

... because the TPC is not a pistol course that really holds up in court.

Originally Posted by law dawg

When a shooting goes to court qual scores are requested and a standard looked for. The PPC (the FAMs current qual) is the standard federal qualification. It's across the board. The FAMs shoot the same qual as just about every federal agency (except maybe the FBI/DEA - I think they have their own). The passing score for the PPC in the federal system is a 210 (out of 300). The passing score for the FAMS is a 255 (out of 300).