pilots with guns?

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Okay, new controversy. Pilots, should or should not be able to carry guns with them onto planes? I am curious to what you all think. I'm new at this, so, please excuse any naive actions by me.

― kimera, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Welcome to ILE!

Problem with armed pilots/guards is that they can still be overpowered or surprised - increased security still seems the best way to go.

― Tom, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

should not, aircraft pressure vessels are not up to being shot at . while we're on it tazers are no good either there's to much danger of messing up sensitive electronics. much better to put strong locks on the cockpit doors, strengthen the cockpit bulkhead and improve security on the ground.

― Ed, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

If they tie passengers into their seats then the pilots won't need guns.

― Tabs, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i'm sure there is a reason i haven't considered here. but couldn't they make it that the you can't get from the cockpit into the rest of the plane. no access either way?

― gareth, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

More seriously, I don't think there is any justification for allowing guns in such a confined space. The risk of collateral damage or harm to the aircraft and its electronics is to high so it would never be practical for a pilot to use a gun.

It is important to note that it is most unlikely that terrorists will have guns so therefore pilots don't need them either.

I think pilots should have swords.

― Tabs, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I prefer the idea of Kung Fu fighters who can kill a man with their bare hands on aeroplanes. Not much room for the flying, kicking stuff, but better than a hole in the fuselage and all that goes with it.

― Madchen, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

More guns laying around usually isn't ever a good idea. And swords are kind of messy. Maybe something like brass knuckles that can't be easily overpowered into the hands of bad guys.

Also, even with tighter ground security people could use pencils, large spoons, or merely their fists as weaponry. Paranoid attitudes may help us.

― Honda, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My solution - completely sealed off cockpit. I believe Israeli flights already have this. Also - pilot should have knock out gas cannisters at his disposal.

― Nick, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

There are two possible things that will happen if you shoot a gun in an airplane, depending on several factors: 1) It will not work, the bullet will do nothing. 2) It can blow up the airplane. Neither are good options for self-defense. Airplanes should have sealed, locked cockpits. Mind you, the Israeli airlines do have armed guards on all flights, so I don't know what that's about, maybe newer planes get rid of the air pressure problem but that's another story.

― Ally, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"knock out gas cannisters": jeez, why not his own atom bomb, nick? that wd put a spoke in their wheel for sure

― mark s, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Mark - I was half-joking. But I don't think it's such a crazy idea. I'm not talking about anthrax for heaven's sake. Just send you to sleep gas like they have in the erm... movies.

― Nick, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

if pilots can have guns, so can passengers....

― Geoff, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I heard that given a 'locks can get busted', airlines were considering a software lockout on the controls, which somehow checks that a legitimate pilot is at the controls. A pin code or something. Wouldn't help much in the gun to the head scenario, I'd guess.

― Magnus, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You could have guns on planes, they'd just need to have quite a low muzzle velocity, I think it's called.

― DG, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

How about a trap door between the cockpit and the passenger area? A guy is in constant watch, if anyone unauthorised approaches, then the guy pulls the lever and the approachee falls into a secure area. If anybody ever approaches, the cockpit is sealed and only a security person on the ground will be able to open it, pilots are trapped for a while but they might be able to land the plane safely.

But more importantly just tighten up airport security.

― jel, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

How about a trap door between the cockpit and the passenger area?

I reckon all planes need to be fitted with MOATS.

And priest holes.

― Tom, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"a secure area" = the sky

― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I came into this thread thinking "why yes" and changed my mind.

― Maria, Tuesday, 25 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Having a gun never stopped anyone being shot - the fundamental flaw of US Gun Policy...

Equally a pilots pin code wouldn't have made any difference, the plane was in the air, the pIN code entered. And if it did manage to lock out the terrorists, well who was going to fly the plane then?

Security on board is a matter of screening people before they get on, not when it is too late.

― Pete, Thursday, 27 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

four months pass...

Just allow everyone to carry guns on the plane.If some afghani came aboard shit would hit the fan.

― Matt Castro, Monday, 4 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Anybody named Matt Castro who came aboard would likely get even more dumped on him.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 4 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

three months pass...

I stumbeled upon this sight while looking for info for my persuasive speach on "guns on planes". I began against it, now i'm not so sure. However, consider this...crooked cops right?, why not crooked pilots. I'm not saying there is a high chance, but all it takes is one. By the way, I'm a pilot myself, and I understand how hard it is to fly a large jet, we can't be expected to do both things at once. Skymarshalls are a good thought, however, I believe they might just make flying feel a little awkward for lack of a better word, not to mention the cost. Do you want your ticket price to get higher? Because that is what will happen with sky marshalls, and heavy doors.

― Steven, Thursday, 9 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

six months pass...

yea i was doin a persuasive speech too, i started for it if these pilots were like trained cops but on the other hand a secure cockpit sounds much better therefore i gotta change my speech topic, dammit

― Jared Rall, Tuesday, 19 November 2002 03:07 (twenty-three years ago)

one year passes...

I think guns on plains is just stupid. Even if it is the pilot. you never know when a pilot might go bad. I think no entrance from the passangers to the cockpit is a very good idea. But as mentioned, who's going to pay for that? The answer is you. Plane tickets don't need to get any higher. Increased security? Ya right have you seen how tight the security is lately? You have to show up two hours early just to get on your plane on time.

― Kylie DeWitt, Monday, 24 November 2003 23:52 (twenty-two years ago)

this idea reminds me of that saturday night live spoof commericial for "Bad Idea Jeans".

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 00:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I love random g00glers =)

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 00:16 (twenty-two years ago)

"Hey, when's the next time I'm going to be in Haiti?"

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 00:24 (twenty-two years ago)

two months pass...

"pilots can be overpowered" "Your pilot might be a bad guy" and white mice may give you germs. It reminds me of what my mom used to say, don't borrow trouble. You might get hit today, so dont walk accross the street, you might have a wreck so dont drive a car. Might might might. Here's a guarantee: if someone attempts to take over a plane, he or they mean to do you harm for damn sure. All the maybe speculation in the world will do no good. A gun might stop them. It's the best and only chance you have! If you arm the honest citizens, it is not them you have to fear, it is the bad guys who have to fear the citizens! How many terrorists want to run the risk of boarding a plane and finding fifty guns aimed down their throats? Terrorists are some of the biggest cowards known to man. You want safe planes, arm the pilots and the passengers. The terrorists will be outnumbered ten to one. Ever notice how the ordinary passengers, the moms and dads, are never the ones who take over planes? It's always some dick from another country looking for trouble. What does this tell us? Want safe planes? Arm the good guys.

― gene, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh my.

― Andrew (enneff), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 01:09 (twenty-two years ago)

― hstencil, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 01:18 (twenty-two years ago)

four years pass...

The ignorance in this thread is astounding, even for ILE. Bullets 'don't work' on planes? Really?

― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Thursday, 22 May 2008 07:52 (eighteen years ago)

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