Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Gunthr on January 10, 2002, 06:15:00 AM
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news (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,42644,00.html)
I've got mixed feelings about it.
On one hand, I'm thinking - why introduce a weapon onto the airplane?
On the other hand, I'm thinking if I were an airline pilot, I would want a semi-auto in a shoulder holster...
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whats wrong with a tazer?
I wouldnt mind to give the pilot a weapon. Heck, im already trusting him to fly the thing with ME on it 20,000 ft into the air for hours on end and land it safely.
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only thing I worry about is cabin decompression if he misses his target.... I don't see why they don't just put a big tank of NO2 onboard. If anybody acts up, weeeee everybody takes a 2 hour nap.
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I could see a tazer or stun gun, but a pistol in the hands of an amateur at 30,000ft scares me.
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I heard (ignorant about this stuff) there are low velocity weapons that can be used. Don't the Isreali air marshals use these kind of weapons?
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Originally posted by Udie:
I don't see why they don't just put a big tank of NO2 onboard. If anybody acts up, weeeee everybody takes a 2 hour nap.
My roomie, the anasthesiologist(sp), says that if NO2 were used, there would be a few passengers that would make that nap permanent. Something about respiratory dysfunction and allergies...I dunno, he started usin reel big words and I fell asleep.
dh
(still remembers liking Whippets) :D
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Udie might mean nitrous oxide (laughing gas)... that would be interesting :)
I do think the Taser does have a lot going for it, though.
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Originally posted by Raubvogel:
I could see a tazer or stun gun, but a pistol in the hands of an amateur at 30,000ft scares me.
I would suggest that an airline pilot is hardley an amateur, with the hundreds of hours of flight time required to become one.
Amateur gun user, maybe, but I believe the allowance of guns would mean that the pilot would have to pass a gun safety and proficiency course before he was allowed to carry on the plane.
As for Tazers, these could hardley be considered an effective weapon for close quarter encounters.
1. For the most part, a tazer is a one shot deal. If you miss, the unit has to be reset before firing again.
2. For the most part, a tazer is a one shot deal. If there are more terrorists than tazers, you can't shoot them all.
3. In the close quarter environment of the airline cabin, with several obstructions that could be in the way, it is very possible to miss your shot with a tazer.
Why would anyone not want the pilot to have a gun? You are already putting your life in his hands, no sense in limiting his ability to preserve it if he has to.
I would feel much safer if I knew there was someone on the plane carrying a 9mm HI-CAP pistol with low-velocity rounds and was trained and certified on how to use it.
If you want to put it to a test, I would mush rather go up against a guy with a tazer over a guy armed with 16 rounds of 9mm in a semi-auto pistol.
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What about the danger of the bullet piercing the hull? Rapid depressurisation won't be that nice.
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Originally posted by Mr RiplEy:
What about the danger of the bullet piercing the hull? Rapid depressurisation won't be that nice.
Wives tales, Rip, wives tales. You been watching too many movies. :)
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I want my pilot to fly the airplane. I am also concerned about being that "collateral damage," (ME!)if he misses his target! One thing's for certain, if I am on the aircraft and this happens again. there's going to be one HELL of a fight onboard. This is very personal for me.
They're not gonna hit us in the air anyway again, IMO. Look out for them sinking a cruise ship or derailing a train or something, if they decide to make their attacks more personal and civillian oriented. (Yes, civillians were killed, including several acquaintences of mine, my uncle just barely made it out thank God...., but they went after our financial and militaty centers).
I'm getting angry again LOL...enuf rambling :)
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Originally posted by Midnight:
I would suggest that an airline pilot is hardley an amateur, with the hundreds of hours of flight time required to become one.
Amateur gun user, maybe, but I believe the allowance of guns would mean that the pilot would have to pass a gun safety and proficiency course before he was allowed to carry on the plane.
Spent 6 years in Army Aviation. Flew and worked with many pilots who were professionals, and also soldiers. I trusted everyone of them with my life everytime we turned the rotors. But, I don't think I'd feel as safe with them carrying a pistol in a pressurized aircraft when the toejam hits the fan. There are enough non-lethal alternatives out there that don't have the possiblity of rupturing the fuselage....I'm sure they'll come up with something.
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I got a great idea...the main internal fuel tank that is not used in all domestic flights could be filled with marijuana confiscated by the DEA (well, the stuff that is not taken for personal use) and with the heat generated from the engines, we could ventilate the fumes from the burning plants into the cabin.
We'd be eliminating the excess pot, keeping avaition fumes from igniting (TWA flight 800), and has anyone ever gotten into a non-food related fight while stoned?
Just a suggestion...forget I mentioned it...
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I'm tellin ya, gas the airplane!!!!! I'll beta test it for them :rolleyes:
Seriously though, tazers can miss and the whole reload thing. Bullets can hit passengers or rupture the hull. Gas seems like the logical thing to do. 1 or 2 dead passengers is better than a whole plane full. I know that's cold, but the President had to order them to shoot down airliners already, so... Though, there'd still be o2 in the cabin so they wouldn't axfixiate on it. There's probobly a better gas than nitrous too, it takes a min or 2 to knock you out.
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They could use that orange gas that always comes out of the wall vents on the Enterprise....that stuff seems to work real well. :D :D :D
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What's wrong with sky marshals? As someone that's currently working towards becoming a commercial pilot, I gotta say, I don't want the gun.
I'm signing up to be a pilot, not a cop. If they asked me carry a fire arm, I'd expect to be compensated in a huge way. They might as well fork over the cash to have a professional do the job.
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i'm a pilot, and i have been an airline engineer for 5 years... i tell you I DON'T want to see any pilot who is at the time FLYING an aircraft carrying a gun.
Jeez just with the finger troubles of some of my collegues i think the chance of them hurting themselfes or their passengers in-flight is a lot higher than actually fighting off Highjackers.
Regards
DW6
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Carrying a gun is a big hassle, and dangerous too. It would be better to train pilots in martial arts and combat. Depends on who the pilot is, and if he has experience with handguns. Just think, if you're a pilot, your girlfriend might regard you as Mr. Bond. <G>