US official rules out firearms in airline cockpits

Sean1999 Ram Air TA · 05-21-2002, 02:17 PM

Tuesday May 21, 1:46 pm Eastern Time
Reuters Company News
US official rules out firearms in airline cockpits

(Recasts, adds pilot, airline reaction, House bill on guns)

By John Crawley

WASHINGTON, May 21 (Reuters) - Firearms will not be allowed in the cockpits of U.S. commercial airliners despite appeals from pilots after the Sept. 11 hijack attacks, Transportation Security Administration Director John Magaw said on Tuesday.

Magaw told the Senate Commerce Committee that pilots did not need firearms because federal air marshals -- plainclothes armed guards -- assigned to some flights, were armed and trained.

"They (the air marshals) will do whatever they have to, to the point of giving up their own life" for the security of the plane, said Magaw. He added the pilot's job was to fly the plane and land it as quickly as possible in an emergency.

"After a lot of consultation and realizing my experience in law enforcement, I will not authorize firearms in the cockpit," Magaw, a former U.S. Secret Service director, said.

Commercial pilots quickly criticized the decision.

"Yesterday, we're told the country is more at risk for a terror attack, and today they tell the pilots that they cannot have firearms to defend themselves on an aircraft," said Denny Breslin, an American Airlines (NYSE:AMR - News) captain. "The last line of defense is not a cockpit door and not a stun gun."

Airlines do not support arming pilots with lethal force, mainly over liability issues. "We feel the federal government has acted wisely," said Julie King, spokeswoman for Continental Airlines (NYSE:CAL - News).

STUN GUNS

Senior Bush administration officials, including Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, had already personally opposed allowing pilots to carry firearms. The administration is still considering nonlethal weapons, such as stun guns.

A decision on that alternative could be made soon, but there was no fixed timetable and more testing of the devices may become necessary, Mineta spokesman Chet Lunner said.

United Airlines (NYSE:UAL - News) has purchased 1,300 stun guns made by TASER Inc. (NasdaqSC:TASR - News) and is training its 9,000 pilots how to use them. Other airlines are studying the idea.

Sen. Conrad Burns, a Montana Republican who has co-sponsored a bill to allow pilots to pack weapons, urged Magaw to reconsider. Burns said pilots who chose to be armed would be properly trained.

There is also a bill in the House of Representatives that would allow pilots to carry firearms.

Breslin said pilots who favored carrying arms would step up their lobbying on Capitol Hill.

FBI WARNING

On the furor over the Bush administration's handling of intelligence information before the Sept. 11 attacks, Mineta defended the Federal Aviation Administration's decision not to pass on to the airlines FBI information about the arrest of flight student Zacarias Moussaoui in Minnesota last August.

Mineta told the same Senate committee that a Sept. 5 FBI advisory that it had arrested Moussaoui suggested the threat had been removed by his arrest.

"Nothing in the cable indicated that an event was imminent," Mineta said. "Nothing indicated that the suspect had ties to any terrorist group."

Mineta added the FBI cable said Moussaoui wanted to learn how to take off and land a Boeing 747. "It did not say he only wanted to take off and didn't want to learn how to land."

Three of the four planes hijacked on Sept. 11 were flown into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon outside Washington. A fourth crashed into a rural Pennsylvania field.

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UAL Corp (NYSE:UAL - News)

Scott · 05-21-2002, 10:44 PM

No conventional guns in the cockpit.... coulda' told you so.
As usual, UA takes the lead in a safety-related development.
The stun-guns will be approved; they are quite effective and will be a part of an overall strategy to maintain operational control of the aircraft.

Bill G · 05-21-2002, 11:15 PM

I'm stunned!!!!!!

Bill G

Ozz · 05-21-2002, 11:56 PM

Better than being blown away!

Sean1999 Ram Air TA · 05-22-2002, 08:42 AM

Scott has United completed training the cockpit crews for stun guns.

Sean

tdh8192 · 05-22-2002, 10:19 AM

From today's Wall Street Journal, page A26, Review and Outlook:

Guns or F-16s

So Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta would rather let an F-16 shoot down a hijacked airplane than let pilots carry guns in the cockpit.

That's the inescapable conclusion to be drawn from the Transportation's announcement yesterday that it won't arm pilots. When Congress passed legislation last fall authorizing Transportation to give pilots guns, it probably assumed the decision would be a no-brainer. Instead, John Magaw, director of the Transportation Security Administration, says pilots don't need firearms because federal air marshals will do the job. In fact, the only way an air marshal might foil a hijacking is to be aboard a hijacked flight, an extremely unlikely occurrence since fewer than 1% of flights are protected by marshals.

Congress is already working to override Mr. Mineta's decision. A bill sponsored by Representatives John Mica (R., Florida) and Don Young (R., Alaska) would authorize a firearms program for pilots and exempt airlines from related liability. A similar bill will be introduced in the Senate next week.

Unlikely as a replay of September 11 may be, the message of Mr. Mineta's decision is clear: America still isn't serious about defending itself. If the intelligence failures that led to that tragic day are perhaps understandable, the failure to take obvious steps in its aftermath is not.

05-21-2002, 02:17 PM	#1
Sean1999 Ram Air TA Senior Collector Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 249	US official rules out firearms in airline cockpits Tuesday May 21, 1:46 pm Eastern Time Reuters Company News US official rules out firearms in airline cockpits (Recasts, adds pilot, airline reaction, House bill on guns) By John Crawley WASHINGTON, May 21 (Reuters) - Firearms will not be allowed in the cockpits of U.S. commercial airliners despite appeals from pilots after the Sept. 11 hijack attacks, Transportation Security Administration Director John Magaw said on Tuesday. Magaw told the Senate Commerce Committee that pilots did not need firearms because federal air marshals -- plainclothes armed guards -- assigned to some flights, were armed and trained. "They (the air marshals) will do whatever they have to, to the point of giving up their own life" for the security of the plane, said Magaw. He added the pilot's job was to fly the plane and land it as quickly as possible in an emergency. "After a lot of consultation and realizing my experience in law enforcement, I will not authorize firearms in the cockpit," Magaw, a former U.S. Secret Service director, said. Commercial pilots quickly criticized the decision. "Yesterday, we're told the country is more at risk for a terror attack, and today they tell the pilots that they cannot have firearms to defend themselves on an aircraft," said Denny Breslin, an American Airlines (NYSE:AMR - News) captain. "The last line of defense is not a cockpit door and not a stun gun." Airlines do not support arming pilots with lethal force, mainly over liability issues. "We feel the federal government has acted wisely," said Julie King, spokeswoman for Continental Airlines (NYSE:CAL - News). STUN GUNS Senior Bush administration officials, including Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, had already personally opposed allowing pilots to carry firearms. The administration is still considering nonlethal weapons, such as stun guns. A decision on that alternative could be made soon, but there was no fixed timetable and more testing of the devices may become necessary, Mineta spokesman Chet Lunner said. United Airlines (NYSE:UAL - News) has purchased 1,300 stun guns made by TASER Inc. (NasdaqSC:TASR - News) and is training its 9,000 pilots how to use them. Other airlines are studying the idea. Sen. Conrad Burns, a Montana Republican who has co-sponsored a bill to allow pilots to pack weapons, urged Magaw to reconsider. Burns said pilots who chose to be armed would be properly trained. There is also a bill in the House of Representatives that would allow pilots to carry firearms. Breslin said pilots who favored carrying arms would step up their lobbying on Capitol Hill. FBI WARNING On the furor over the Bush administration's handling of intelligence information before the Sept. 11 attacks, Mineta defended the Federal Aviation Administration's decision not to pass on to the airlines FBI information about the arrest of flight student Zacarias Moussaoui in Minnesota last August. Mineta told the same Senate committee that a Sept. 5 FBI advisory that it had arrested Moussaoui suggested the threat had been removed by his arrest. "Nothing in the cable indicated that an event was imminent," Mineta said. "Nothing indicated that the suspect had ties to any terrorist group." Mineta added the FBI cable said Moussaoui wanted to learn how to take off and land a Boeing 747. "It did not say he only wanted to take off and didn't want to learn how to land." Three of the four planes hijacked on Sept. 11 were flown into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon outside Washington. A fourth crashed into a rural Pennsylvania field. Email this story - Most-emailed articles - Most-viewed articles -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More Quotes and News: AMR Corp (NYSE:AMR - News) Continental Airlines Inc (NYSE:CAL - News) Taser International Inc (NasdaqSC:TASR - News) UAL Corp (NYSE:UAL - News) __________________ United Airlines Historian and Memorabilia Collector WAHS Member

05-21-2002, 10:44 PM	#2
Scott Insane Collector Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Escondido, Ca. USA Age: 50 Posts: 2,763	No conventional guns in the cockpit.... coulda' told you so. As usual, UA takes the lead in a safety-related development. The stun-guns will be approved; they are quite effective and will be a part of an overall strategy to maintain operational control of the aircraft. __________________ Fly the Friendly Skies of United uniTED takes wing Feb 12, 2004

05-21-2002, 11:15 PM	#3
Bill G Insane Collector Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: St. Charles, MO Posts: 1,247	Guns in the Flightdeck!!!!! I'm stunned!!!!!! Bill G __________________ *Ozark Flies Your Way* FEES DON'T FLY AT SOUTHWEST

05-21-2002, 11:56 PM	#4
Ozz Insane Collector Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Canada (CYVR) Age: 51 Posts: 2,763	Better than being blown away! __________________ Ozz ORANGE IS BEAUTIFUL *GO WESTJET!!!* We need more CPAir/CDN and don't forget PWA and BA Landor!

05-22-2002, 08:42 AM	#5
Sean1999 Ram Air TA Senior Collector Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 249	Scott has United completed training the cockpit crews for stun guns. Sean __________________ United Airlines Historian and Memorabilia Collector WAHS Member

05-22-2002, 10:19 AM	#6
tdh8192 Mmmm... pep'roni pizza Join Date: Apr 2000 Posts: 3,241	Guns or F-16s? From today's Wall Street Journal, page A26, Review and Outlook: Guns or F-16s So Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta would rather let an F-16 shoot down a hijacked airplane than let pilots carry guns in the cockpit. That's the inescapable conclusion to be drawn from the Transportation's announcement yesterday that it won't arm pilots. When Congress passed legislation last fall authorizing Transportation to give pilots guns, it probably assumed the decision would be a no-brainer. Instead, John Magaw, director of the Transportation Security Administration, says pilots don't need firearms because federal air marshals will do the job. In fact, the only way an air marshal might foil a hijacking is to be aboard a hijacked flight, an extremely unlikely occurrence since fewer than 1% of flights are protected by marshals. Congress is already working to override Mr. Mineta's decision. A bill sponsored by Representatives John Mica (R., Florida) and Don Young (R., Alaska) would authorize a firearms program for pilots and exempt airlines from related liability. A similar bill will be introduced in the Senate next week. Unlikely as a replay of September 11 may be, the message of Mr. Mineta's decision is clear: America still isn't serious about defending itself. If the intelligence failures that led to that tragic day are perhaps understandable, the failure to take obvious steps in its aftermath is not. __________________ - Tom

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