PrintMarch 19, 2009
On Guns and Airline Pilots (Updated)
The Washington Times is reporting the Obama administration is ending the federal firearms program that trains airline pilots how to carry and use handguns on commercial flights:
The Obama administration this past week diverted some $2 million from the pilot training program to hire more supervisory staff, who will engage in field inspections of pilots.
This looks like completely unnecessary harassment of the pilots. The 12,000 Federal Flight Deck Officers, the pilots who have been approved to carry guns, are reported to have the best behavior of any federal law enforcement agency. There are no cases where any of them has improperly brandished or used a gun. There are just a few cases where officers have improperly used their IDs.
This looks like completely unnecessary harassment of the pilots. The 12,000 Federal Flight Deck Officers, the pilots who have been approved to carry guns, are reported to have the best behavior of any federal law enforcement agency. There are no cases where any of them has improperly brandished or used a gun. There are just a few cases where officers have improperly used their IDs.
Apparently the pilots are hesitant to speak out against this change in policy:
Pilots cannot openly speak about the changing policies for fear of retaliation from the Transportation Security Administration. Pilots who act in any way that causes a “loss of confidence” in the armed pilot program risk criminal prosecution as well as their removal from the program. Despite these threats, pilots in the Federal Flight Deck Officers program have raised real concerns in multiple interviews.
Obama actually said while campaigning for president that the Second Amendment’s "right of the people to keep and bear arms" applies to individuals, not just the "well regulated militia" mentioned in the amendment.
Maybe airline pilots aren’t people … or militia … according to the Obama administration.
In any event, it appears that under our new President fewer and fewer airline pilots will be carrying guns to help defend their passengers. That's some change most of us did not hope for.
UPDATE:
The Obama administration is denying the Washington Times editorial. Or maybe the Obama team is just feeling a little heat. You decide. The denial can be found here .
Larrey Anderson
