Sky Marshal program..

[lazs1]

Yep, the fact that this could have all been prevented so easily makes me even more angry and sad.... The sky marshal program that was so sucessful that it was deemed to be a needless expense..

Instead... we have a few terrorists with plastic knives causing the deaths of thousands..  We can't prevent someone fom bringing weapons on board but we can prevent them from being successful in taking over the plane.

Let's face it... unless we are naive morons... no one ever feels "safe" from a skyjacking just because some bored rent a cops at the airport security station run us through a metal detector..  We all know that the only thing that saves us from a skyjaking and the fate of those that died yesterday is .... sheer luck of the draw..  we count on our good luck to get us through..  0nly an idiot would feel safe with a security programn that guarentees that the only people with weapons will be the bad guys.  

If I am unable (disarmed) to defend myself on a flight then.... i want the next best thing.  I want to know that a couple of unidentified sky marshalls are on board and armed to the teeth and trained to the hilt with orders to take all action needed.  

I am so proud of the brave people who apparently wrested control of one of the airliners from the terrorists.   They are true heros.  I only wish they had not had to.

I am not a big supporter of big government but... i feel that the armed forces are the pervue of a government...   In this new war of terrorism I feel that sky marshalls would, and should,  be part of the army in the war against terrorism.  

Bring back the Sky Marshal program.
lazs

[buhdman]

I agree with this completely.

[popeye]

Yep.

[Thunder]

The Sky Marshal program was good but a simple improvement could be made to improve safely. WALL OFF THE PILOTS FROM THE PASSENGERS! Give them a separate entry door and there own facilities. Flight attendants have a key to the cockpit door on a chain. Terrorist subdues flight attendent and can open door to cockpit. Even if there was a bomb on board or a threat on board the pilot in command can remain in command and not have a repeat of what happened yesterday. There are a lot of good things we can do to prevent this in the future. Sky Marshals, Cockpit Door Security,(some won't like this....no walk on items....everything is checked.) tighter baggage handling checks and FAA employees on Security not Airline employees.

Thunder

[lazs1]

oh yeah... cockpit door security is essential!   No one get's in... pass throughs for coffee and such.  IMO, terrorist resistant cockpit doors would be a great help to the sky marshals.

most of the time you can look right in to the cockpit.... If nothing else... let's keep secure doors closed to keep out the drunks and crazies!  Oh.... and speaking of drunks... a revolver barrel across the bridge of the nose from a sky marshal would go a long way toward making the trip a lot more pleasant for the rest of us.
lazs

[ 09-12-2001: Message edited by: lazs1 ]

[funkedup]

Sounds great Lazs.  It will make flights more expensive but I doubt it will be that big of an increase.

[Eagler]

I'd vote yea for such a program...

[Toad]

I'm thinking $5 a ticket would way more than cover it.

Last time I heard, BOTH of the pilot crew costs accounted for about $8-10 per flight on average.

[lazs1]

Look... it really isn't about the customers anyway... It's about the potential damage that can be inflicted on the people on the ground that have nothing to do with the flight or cost thereof..

The reason I don't need to be licenced or pay extra to fly ultralights is simple.... I can't do any damage to inocents.  Or, any more say than a mountain biker or rock climber could.

besides... I'm not looking at it that way..  I'm thinking thsat the marshalls will be federal troops... Part of the "army" in the war on terrorism.   All the airlines would be out is the seats they take up.   Either way tho...   It is the only viable solution besides letting citizens defend themselves.
lazs

[ 09-12-2001: Message edited by: lazs1 ]

[Tac]

yep, locked down cockpits with microwave and fridge inside the cockpit to provide the pilots with their needs, ability to fill the cabin with sleep gas that works when inhaled AND through contact with the skin that could be activated from the cockpit or remotely from a tower controller or some secure entity (pilot cabin airtight..would be kinda dumb to doze the pilots out lol), air marshall and tighter airport security.

Screw it if I have to pay 50 bucks more for my ticket, at least im assured of a high degree of security.

[funkedup]

Also I would like to fly in a special passenger class above First Class.  My class would be Ejection Seat Class.  This is the only class in which I would fly on a Bell 609, and now I'm thinking it might be nice for domestic airlines as well.

[vmfRazor]

Well not to say I disagree with the sky marshall deal. But in 99.99% of all skyjackings the safest thing to do was to cooperate. That is until these ones. But if a Marshall was on the plane when a Hyjacking took place, and he fired his revolver in defense of the aircraft what happens if he blows out a window? What if the HiJacker with an MP5 blows him away along with 3 passengers? Adding more guns to the situation I do not think is the answer. It is a tough one without a doubt. The walled off cockpit sounds good. But the Terrorists can just start killing passengers until the pilots conform to their demands but it would be a whole lot easier for the pilots to control the situation. There is a downside to everything you propose as there is in all life. Sometimes you just have to accept some risks.

Razor

[ 09-12-2001: Message edited by: vmfRazor ]

[Octavius]

There are alternatives to using guns aboard an aircraft.  Tazers, tranquilizers, pepper spray, etc.  This is far fetched, but (given the cockpits would be completely sealed from the passenger section) why not use some sort of knock-out gas?  Hijackers and passengers have a comfortable sleep while the pilots get the bird on the ground.  Hijackers could then live to be prosecuted.  Hijackers can then make plenty of "pals" (given they dont drop the soap!!) in prison and live happily ever after     .  Necessity is the mother of invention.  Be innovative and creative.  

oct

[ 09-12-2001: Message edited by: Octavius ]

[Enduro]

I agree that preventive measures within our aviation system will be helpful, but those changes will not resolve the real problem at hand - the mere fact that terrorists are even allowed to exist in world-wide organizations!!!  Perhaps we can make our airplanes (apparently) 100% safe.  But, what about our neighborhoods, office buildings, schools, parks, endless miles of freeways and rail road tracks...???

It is high time that the U.S.A. and its allies nip the problem in the bud by officially declaring war on terrorist factions and supportive governments all over the world. If you don't like the methods that these terrorist groups are using today, imagine what they'll be like in 20-years if they are allowed to proceed with business and training as usual!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Enduro


 

[qqqqq]

um yeah having shootouts aboard airplanes loaded with people great idea!!  if they wanted to hijack a plane there going to unless maybe u stick half the plane with guard then the damage from the shooting would probably cause a great deal of damage and kill many people on the flight.  The best way is to stop them before they get on the plane.  And u need guns to defend urself
? u wuss guns are for sissies.