Support for Armed Pilot Training

[asmo]

Judging from some of your posts in the "Training" forum I'd guess you feel your personal training standards need to be a little higher than this.

You get the idea..

Even easier: FFDOs pay for their own training.

See I just saved the tax payer 10 million dollars. I just want my 1% finders fee.

[ScooterCO]

What, if the pilots want a key to the box they need to pass a course that they pay for???
You are treating them like us..? We all paid out of pocket for the permission to carry concealed.

You know what will be next is that bus drivers will demand this paid training as well...

[Teufelhund]

Yeah, but if pilots had guns, what would happen if they snapped and decided to shoot all the passengers?

Joking, of course.

Exactly. If the guy driving the plane wants to kill everyone, he surely doesn't need a gun to get the job done. There is no viable reason not to arm someone who is already trusted with responsibility for the safety of everyone on the plane.

[lifeon2]

On top of it all how many of those pilots are former military? How many have already had training? lets start with those guys.

[cstone]

No one who is actually involved in that program will be admitting that on this public forum

[KevDen2005]

I didn't even know that the program actually existed. That is awesome. I now want to be a pilot...

Seriously though, I don't think they should have to pay for their own training. I think if they want to protect themselves and the aircraft and have chosen to be in that line of defense then they should be trained for it rather than the cheapest training that they can find.

[Mtn.man]

Gives something to stroke while they are on autopilot.

[sniper7]

Say's the guy doing barrel rolls over DIA

Hey now! Those were the best executed rolls to date!

[sniper7]

Exactly. If the guy driving the plane wants to kill everyone, he surely doesn't need a gun to get the job done. There is no viable reason not to arm someone who is already trusted with responsibility for the safety of everyone on the plane.

What better person to arm? If they are already trusted with the safety of the plane why not get rid of federal air marshals and give the pilots the guns? Training money saved and an increased percentage of safer flights.
Not only that but pilots don't get paid to be an FFDO. A ton of money would be saved on salaries and retirements.

[theGinsue]

If nothing else, I think some consideration for training needs to be provided to anyone entrusted with a firearm on an aircraft due to the nature of the confined/restrictive area for the passengers as well as having a pressurized cabin.