Armed pilots equal safer airplanes

By Captain Denny Breslin, National communications chairman; First officer Mike Karn, chairman, Committee for Armed Defense of the Cockpit; Allied Pilots Association - Fort Worth Texas.
A heavy, fuel-laden aircraft departing for an international destination is a ripe target for terrorists. But under current agreements, specially trained pilots have been prohibited from carrying weapons on international flights U.S. asks to arm pilots abroad.
Currently there is no surefire method of defending the cockpit from a team of terrorists on a plane over the North Atlantic, three hours from any airport. That is why it is imperative that the U.S. government expand agreements with foreign governments to allow armed pilots.
Critics, such as aviation security consultant Rich Roth, say pilots just "feel better" carrying guns. Roth says he doubts they could thwart a hijacker. He is dead wrong.
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Critics such as Roth pontificate from behind the safety of their desks. They do not deal with the reality of airborne killers. Armed pilots, known as Federal Flight Deck Officers, undergo intense recurring law enforcement training at their own expense. They are qualified federal law enforcement officers who do their jobs quietly, professionally and without notice on thousands of flights each day. They do not do this job to "feel good."
Carrying a weapon, and wielding the authority to use deadly force, is an enormous burden taken very seriously. To denigrate the dedication, sacrifice and effectiveness of such people is outrageous.
Domestic fliers in the USA can take great comfort in the protection provided by armed pilots. But not international fliers. Airborne protection from terrorists will be far better when more pilots are attracted to the program and when these specially trained pilots are able to carry their weapons on international flights.

Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association
—the largest independent pilot
union in the U.S.—is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 12,000
pilots of American Airlines, including more than 2,800 pilots on furlough. The furloughs
began shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Also, several hundred American
Airlines pilots are on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces.

Both authors also volunteer for the Federal Flight Deck Officers Association (FFDOA) which represents all armed pilots.
Reprinted with permission.
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A move to arm pilots on International flights