From newsmax.com
Obama Wants to Disarm U.S. Pilots
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 12:19 PM
By: David A. Patten
The Obama administration is taking steps quietly to shut down the program that qualifies commercial airline pilots to carry firearms in jetliner cockpits in order to ward off another 9/11-type attack.
The administration recently diverted $2 million from a program to train and certify pilots to carry firearms safely while on duty. Instead, it is using the money to hire additional field inspectors to help discipline pilots who step out of line, according to a report in Tuesday's Washington Times.
A Times editorial condemned the Obama administration's action, calling it "completely unnecessary harassment of the pilots."
Since Obama took office, the approval process for certifying pilots to carry firearms has ground to a halt, the newspaper reports. Pilots are afraid to speak out about the behind-the-scenes maneuverings, for fear of retaliation, according to the newspaper. No cases have been reported in which pilots have brandished a weapon inappropriately or otherwise abused their eligibility to carry firearms.
About 12,000 pilots have been authorized to carry handguns while flying aircraft as part of the Federal Flight Deck Officers Program. Congress authorized the program in a 310-to-113 vote following the 9/11 attacks to help prevent terrorists from turning jetliners into flying bombs that could be used to attack key sites like the White House, the Pentagon, or Capitol Hill.
Paul Valone, a Second Amendment advocate who directs Grass Roots North Carolina (GRNC.org), is calling for citizens to contract their congressional representatives to protest the administration's anti-gun priorities.
Pilots are already required to pay for their own room and board during training, and use paid leave for the time they're off the job. Every six months, the program requires them to be requalified for firearm use.
Valone writes on Examiner.com: "While bureaucrats . . . may have attempted to hamstring the program with burdensome requirements, training instructors and the Federal Air Marshals who now oversee the program routinely thank the FFDOs for their professionalism and dedication in protecting the nation's air commerce against terrorism."
Valone says the Obama administration is "dismantling yet another layer of defense against terrorism and defying the will of the American people."
Since coming to power, the Obama administration has undertaken a series of moves that signal a major de-emphasis of programs enacted to keep America's homeland safe from terrorist attack:
Obama's choice for U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder, labeled enhanced interrogation techniques as outright "torture" during his Senate confirmation hearings.
Obama banned waterboarding and ordered CIA interrogators to abide by U.S. Army Field Manual regulations.
He selected Clinton-era political operative Leon Panetta to serve as his CIA director. Panetta's qualifications to run the agency have been questioned widely.
Obama announced that he would shut down the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba within one year, raising the prospect of hardened terrorists entering the U.S. criminal justice system, or worse, being released to rejoin al-Qaida.
He indicated the U.S. defense budget would be sharply reduced.
He has sent a letter to Russian leaders, apparently offering to back off on the ballistic missile defense system that would protect Europe from Iran and North Korea.
These and other Obama administration moves recently prompted former vice president Dick Cheney to charge that Obama is returning to the Clinton-era view of terrorism as a law enforcement issue.
"Now he's made some choices that in my mind raise the risk to the American people of another attack," Cheney said of Obama on CNN's "State of the Union" program.
The Washington Times points out that about 70 percent of airline pilots have military backgrounds. With airport screening less than 100 percent effective, it states, armed pilots provide a second layer of defense.
"Only anti-gun extremists and terrorist recruits are worried about armed pilots," the newspaper editorial says.
Newsmax... :rolleyes:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/17/guns-on-a-plane-obama-secretly-ends-program-that-l/
That GG always on a mission to spread fear...
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg103/im-on-to-you/emoticons/emoticons%20II/DySnag062DLaughingSmilie2DTF.gif)
:rolleyes:
Well she does...she always has.. :wink:
If Obama does change the policy so as to disarm pilots, then from that moment on every US airliner hijacking will be Obama's fault—with the new policy as the loudly-proclaimed reason!
Quote from: Doc on March 18, 2009, 09:56:24 PM
If Obama does change the policy so as to disarm pilots, then from that moment on every US airliner hijacking will be Obama's fault—with the new policy as the loudly-proclaimed reason!
Why stop there? Since it couldn't possibly be a failure on the part of the NSA, CIA, FBI or TSA, let's go ahead and blame him for every hijacking that ever happened in the past as well! Now that I think about it, he could be D.B. Cooper!
:yes:
I have a question? Does this even fall into a president's power of authority?? Maybe we should check out some of these things getting changed and see. Or did I sleep toooo long and Obama is now king?
Who initially gave them the power to carry weapons?
not the president
Anyone want to guess what a stray round can do to a pressurized airplane at 30,000 ft.?
Quote from: Exterminator on March 19, 2009, 09:45:57 AM
Anyone want to guess what a stray round can do to a pressurized airplane at 30,000 ft.?
Would that be one coming from a hijacker or a pilot?
Exterminator: Sky Marshals have always had access to special ammunition designed not to overpenetrate, but to deliver a stunning impact. And airline pilots tend to be a highly trained, very well disciplined lot, in general, often with a military background. I don't think knowing the guy up there in the big chair was armed would cause me any trepidation. Now, certain members of the Anderson PD... that might be another story. I wouldn't let Barney Fife on the plane with HIS gun!
What makes you think a pilot is necessarily more stable than a hijacker?
I just appreciate that they're more stable than ME! :eek:
Quote from: me on March 19, 2009, 10:02:08 AM
Would that be one coming from a hijacker or a pilot?
How does a hijacker get a gun onto an airplane?
Quote from: Ma and Pa on March 19, 2009, 10:10:32 AM
And airline pilots tend to be a highly trained, very well disciplined lot, in general, often with a military background.
Uh, I'm a skydiver so I know a lot of pilots and this simply isn't true. In fact, a good friend of mine who flies in the left seat had some trauma in his life a few years back for which he should have gotten counseling but he avoided doing so for fear he'd lose his license.
Quote from: Exterminator on March 19, 2009, 10:29:26 AM
Uh, I'm a skydiver so I know a lot of pilots and this simply isn't true. In fact, a good friend of mine who flies in the left seat had some trauma in his life a few years back for which he should have gotten counseling but he avoided doing so for fear he'd lose his license.
You're talking about a small aircraft pilot not a pilot on a commercial airliner. Aren't there two, or more, different types of license's and a total different set of requirements from one to the other?
Quote from: me on March 19, 2009, 10:52:55 AM
You're talking about a small aircraft pilot not a pilot on a commercial airliner. Aren't there two, or more, different types of license's and a total different set of requirements from one to the other?
Uh, no...my friend flies an Airbus A300 and if you had a clue, you would recognize that the reference to flying in the left seat means that he is a captain in an aircraft that requires two pilots. There are plenty of commercial pilots who also skydive.
That seems like a catch 22 - unable to get needed help for fear of losing your job. Poor guy.
Please refer to my post: I said airline pilots...in general....
I try not to say always or never, because there are usually (see, I did it again) exceptions to be found. And I stand by my post: Airline pilots, like surgeons and MOST teachers tend to take their jobs pretty seriously while on duty. If they need to get crazy off duty to decompress, I'm not the one to throw stones. Hope this clarifies.
How about this - I don't want anyone in the cabin of the plane I'm in to have a gun!!! That includes the pilot!!
I don't intend to be in a plane. I'm one of those people who feels that if I had been meant to fly I would have been given wings.
kimmi: I don't want anyone in the cabin of a plane I'm in to NEED a gun. But if a gun were needed, I'd rather it be in the hands of one of the "good guys". No disrespect intended to you for your dislike of firearms.
Quote from: Exterminator on March 19, 2009, 11:20:26 AM
Uh, no...my friend flies an Airbus A300 and if you had a clue, you would recognize that the reference to flying in the left seat means that he is a captain in an aircraft that requires two pilots. There are plenty of commercial pilots who also skydive.
That's why I asked instead to stated. My uncle used to have his license and so did my aunt but I never got into the license end of it because I didn't care. They are both in their 80's now so had to give it up due to failing health but my Uncle did do some commercial stuff, although not on a large scale, and also taught.
Quote from: kimmi on March 19, 2009, 08:47:38 AM
Who initially gave them the power to carry weapons?
Congress did and Bush didn't think it was a good idea either so I have no clue why he even signed the bill unless it was stuffed in with a bill he couldn't not sign. Didn't bother to check it out that far.
(the double negative was on purpose Ex) :razz:
Quote from: me on March 19, 2009, 11:54:03 AM
That's why I asked instead to stated.
No, you said, "You're talking about a small aircraft pilot not a pilot on a commercial airliner," and you were wrong.
Quote from: Exterminator on March 19, 2009, 12:22:10 PM
No, you said, "You're talking about a small aircraft pilot not a pilot on a commercial airliner," and you were wrong.
I've never known anyone to parachute from a commercial airliner. That is what I was referring to, you knowing pilots because you were a skydiver.
Quote from: Exterminator on March 19, 2009, 10:29:26 AM
Uh, I'm a skydiver so I know a lot of pilots and this simply isn't true. In fact, a good friend of mine who flies in the left seat had some trauma in his life a few years back for which he should have gotten counseling but he avoided doing so for fear he'd lose his license.
There is alot of difference between a small craft pilot and commercial pilot. One of the big differences is the number of hours it take and the requirements. I would wager that less than 10% of small craft pilots have ever flown or know how to fly a commercial plane. Most airlines use to hire alot of pilots that had military in their background because of the training and experience they had.
Quote from: me on March 19, 2009, 01:36:55 PM
I've never known anyone to parachute from a commercial airliner. That is what I was referring to, you knowing pilots because you were a skydiver.
Well, now you do; I have personally jumped from a Boeing 727. Commercial pilots like airplanes and being in the sky; it should come as no surprise that many of them skydive as well.
Quote from: mcgonser on March 19, 2009, 01:42:27 PM
There is alot of difference between a small craft pilot and commercial pilot. One of the big differences is the number of hours it take and the requirements. I would wager that less than 10% of small craft pilots have ever flown or know how to fly a commercial plane. Most airlines use to hire alot of pilots that had military in their background because of the training and experience they had.
Every pilot flying jumpers is required by the FAA to have a commercial license. And whatever you do, don't tell the folks at Emery Riddle that their efforts teaching pilots are being wasted. :rolleyes:
and the point is...................?????
Quote from: Exterminator on March 19, 2009, 01:52:21 PM
Well, now you do; I have personally jumped from a Boeing 727. Commercial pilots like airplanes and being in the sky; it should come as no surprise that many of them skydive as well.
So you have rich buddy's that just take you up in a commercial airplane to sky jump huh? Sure must be nice.
Quote from: me on March 19, 2009, 04:14:36 PM
So you have rich buddy's that just take you up in a commercial airplane to sky jump huh? Sure must be nice.
No, they used to bring one to the World Freefall Convention every year for one day. Almost everyone I know has jumped it. You'd be surprised at some of the aircraft I've gotten out of (no blimps...yet).
Quote from: Exterminator on March 19, 2009, 04:53:22 PM
No, they used to bring one to the World Freefall Convention every year for one day. Almost everyone I know has jumped it. You'd be surprised at some of the aircraft I've gotten out of (no blimps...yet).
All I can say is you're a darn sight braver than I am. No way am I even going up in one let alone jump out of it. :no:
I guess I'm just an adrenaline junky. :para:
Quote from: Exterminator on March 19, 2009, 05:46:38 PM
I guess I'm just an adrenaline junky. :para:
I guess so. :shrug:
Are we off topic yet? :confused:
Quote from: Ma and Pa on March 19, 2009, 06:17:01 PM
Are we off topic yet? :confused:
I think we've reached a stalemate.
We aren't off topic until I start talking about the ice cream I'm going to get in a few minutes. Then we are off topic! :biggrin:
Quote from: kimmi on March 19, 2009, 06:24:48 PM
We aren't off topic until I start talking about the ice cream I'm going to get in a few minutes. Then we are off topic! :biggrin:
Take a bite for me please.... :smile:
Quote from: Ma and Pa on March 19, 2009, 10:13:48 AM
I just appreciate that they're more stable than ME! :eek:
:biggrin:
Especially after you factor in in-flight drinks. :beers: :beers: