(IN)SECURITY: Budget ax falls on armed pilot program

[Suvorov]

February 13, 2012|By Mike M. Ahlers, CNN

President Barack Obama's budget ax is falling hard on a program that allows pilots to carry handguns in the cockpit as a last line of defense against terrorists.
Obama's proposed 2013 budget cuts in half funds for the Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) program. The current budget of $25 million a year -- which goes for such things as conducting background checks, training the pilots, and periodic gun proficiency tests and retraining, in addition to administrative costs -- would be cut to $12 million.

Rest of the story can be found here - http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/13/us/budget-cuts-armed-pilots/index.html?iref=allsearch


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl3nhlT3_H0

[Kyle Reese]

Gotta have money for entitlements!

Sent from my ADR6400L

[Suvorov]

I can't speak much on this issue other than to echo the statements made in the article that this is an extremely short sighted cut. While security is better than it was 9/10/01, give any group of airline employees 15 minutes and they could come up with a plan which would likely succeed in bringing weapons and other prohibited items onto a plane. Now just think what a few well funded and extremely well motivated terrorists could do with years of planning?

The FAMS is a great program, but they can not cover all flights. The FFDOs are there covering other flights and providing an additional deterrent effort at extremely low cost to the tax payers. It is amazing to me that after 10 years we are willing to lower our shield especially when the shield is so light to bear. To undermine if not dismantle a successful deterrence program in the effort to save $12 million dollars (not even pocket lint the the age of Trillion Dollar bank bailouts) just absolutely boggles my mind. While the odds of another 9/11 style attack are low, the catastrophic results of a successful one are far to great to fret about such chump change.

I know and work with many FFDOs and I can say that the majority are very dedicated. The simple fact that everything is done on their time and dime proves this. Like all professions that carry a gun, most are not as active and competent of shooters as the folks on this forum and I would like them to be, but I have little doubt they will do their job if need be and to take away such a cheap last line of defense is absurd.

Napolitano's tap dance when being drilled by a former Navy/Airline pilot and FFDO just made me sick. :mad: I don't want to get into cockpit doors on an open forum but history has shown that NO defensive fortification has ever proved to be impenetrable. If Janet and her cronies weren't incompetent (at best), she/they would know that.

[RoyGBiv]

It is amazing to me that after 10 years we are willing to lower our shield especially when the shield is so light to bear. To undermine if not dismantle a successful deterrence program in the effort to save $12 million dollars (not even pocket lint the the age of Trillion Dollar bank bailouts) just absolutely boggles my mind.
Truth.

[Shellback]

Considering the billion dollar cancer causing X-ray machines are worthless I'd say it's pretty worth while to arm pilots. To clarify even if they worked 100% I'm all for pilots getting training and being able to carry. However, a large contingent of European countries have now banned the scanners. Article here. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2111417/TSA-nude-body-scanners-Jonathan-Corbett-video-exposes-loophole.html)


Engineer Jonathan Corbett has published a video where he shows how he took a small metal case through two of the TSA's $1billion fleet in a special side pocket stitched into his shirt.

This is because, he suggests, the scanners blend metallic areas into the dark background - so if an object is not directly placed on the body, it will not show up on the scan.

Demonstration video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olEoc_1ZkfA&feature=youtu.be

[MEH]

Simple, effective program is a threat to the TSA expansion. Can't have that.

[TCinVA]

It's amazing how in a budget of trillion dollar deficits they attempt to cite cost concerns on programs that involve school choice or arming pilots as a last line of defense.

We'll shoot down a hijacked airliner, but god forbid the pilot have a pistol.

Of course, once one understands that the purpose of the federal budget is not rationality but instead about remaking society to fit the notion of how the world works in the heads of "progressives"...regardless of how poorly these initiatives turn out in a reality they can't be bothered with...then it makes sense.

[Suvorov]

Of course, once one understands that the purpose of the federal budget is not rationality but instead about remaking society to fit the notion of how the world works in the heads of "progressives"...regardless of how poorly these initiatives turn out in a reality they can't be bothered with...then it makes sense.

Unfortunately, this might be the case. I recall hearing that the Bolsheviks would put a yoke around fine Arabian Horses and make them pull the plow in their attempts to stamp out all instances of class inequality.

[Shellback]

I would find it incredibly difficult to maintain my composure listening to her in person.