Barney Fife Works For US Air?

[SOB]

"You'd be surprised how much damage you can do with relatively small, sharp implements (Carotid artery etc immediately spring to mind - and while it takes up to a couple of mins, unless you happen to get immediate medical help, your basically stuffed)

Once upon a time, some airliners were hijacked with box knives and the hijackers allowed control of the aircraft in the hopes that their demands (whatever they were) would be met or there would be a compromise and all would end well.  We all saw the result, and no one will be hijacking an airliner anytime soon with a small, sharp implement...  Regardless of their ability to inflict damage to the human body.

Binary explosives (two parts) can be concealed as a liquid, gel (shampoo, water etc). Combine them, add an appropriate detonator - your stuffed

That's "you're stuffed", and I'm not concerned.  Life comes with risks, and if someone is going to go to the time and trouble to figure out bringing a binary explosive and detonator on a plane and it happens to be the plane I'm on, then I guess my # is up.  I suppose you could smuggle some C4 up your kiester too, but I doubt cavity searches are going to be on the menu any time soon.  Although, as long as it makes us safe, it may be worth that inconvenience.

Shoes and lighters are courtesy of that numbskull Richard Reid (Shoebomber) - would you take chances?

Yes, I would.  Will we be taking off our pants when some other numbskull straps a bomb to the inside of his leg under his jeans?

Personally, I feel safer knowing there is someone onboard armed - that said, I'd feel even safer if I was armed (errrrr, maybe). Accidents happen - not knowing much about these weapons, i'm not saying nowt lol.

I would NOT feel safer with a bunch of armed people on the plane.  I'm mostly indifferent about the pilots being armed, but I think it's more likely to cause problems than to solve them.  So far the score on that one is 1 for problems caused 0 for problems solved (unless I've missed something... unlikely, 'cause I'm a genius, but still possible, I suppose).

[gpwurzel]

Point conceded on the firearms - it really doesnt bother me one way or the other.

Because it inconveniences you, you want all the other security measures stopped also. Thats fine, as long as you are the only person on that plane, and flying it yourself. I find them inconvenient also, but thats the price of flying at this period in time.

The 9/11 hijackings were the reason these were bought into play, to try and prevent them happening again (note the use of the word try - nothing in infallible).

Not so long ago - there was an attempt to smuggle binary explosives onboard a commercial flight - hence the restrictions on those too. Shoes and lighters were used by that chump to blow up a plane - hence the bans on those (I dont agree with them either).

If your number is up, and your willing to accept that risk, great. I do however, fail to see how the rest of the passengers on a flight should be taken down with you - unless they accept the same risks as you. And that is the point of the checks/searches etc being carried out. Also, smuggling c4 up the backside is possible - hell of a way to go tho ......(sniffer dogs are at most airports to try and prevent that also though)


and i'll pass on the cavity search as well thankee kindly - exit only on this callsign.

Wurzel

[Toad]

CNN is reporting that US Air intends to terminate the pilot involved, Langenhahn.

There is an interesting film out there of the holster and lock the FFDOs are required to use.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bqOLjEli6yY

Of course, even the holster/lock explanation has trigger pull required to fire the gun. The self-aware firing pin is still not on the table.