----- Original Message -----
From <RBHouston at aol.com>
To: <midgetsprite@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2001 11:03 AM
Subject: Armed Airlines...no LBC
> In a message dated 09/12/2001 3:13:18 AM Mountain Daylight Time,
> PilotRob@webtv.net writes:
>
>
> > Pretty soon we'll be carrying guns "up
> > there", Robert! "Sky Marshall" plan must
> > be re-instituted,
>
> Makes sense to me that as "captain" of the ship, the pilot and all
officers
> should be armed and trained to use the arms. Perhaps the flight
attendents
> should receive this additional training also.
>
> Certainly would make me feel better if four are more armed individuals
were
> on every flight on my side. I can hear all the liberals now moaning about
> how we shouldn't have to have all those guns...but I'd rather face facts
and
> be safe.
>
> R. Houston
>
I gotta put my 2cents in here too. I got no problem with re-instituting the
sky marshalls. I don't even have a problem with the cockpit crew having
access to weapons. But I don't know about the flight attendants. Too close
to the idiot that needs to be shot. That leaves a weapon accessible to
anyone on the plane. I also think that little itty bitty door to the crew
needs to be a lot stronger.
A few other comments. Having flown a lot, both nationally and
internationally. One of the things that impressed me about some of the
security at foriegn airports was for example - to get on your plane, you
entered an area for only ticketed passengers, through a metal detector and
personal inspection. From this area to the boarding area, you entered
another check point - all carry on was inspected (and I mean good) - then
before you got your carry on to continue to the next area you recieved a pat
down. Nothing much, lasted about 3 seconds, but they professionally checked
the pockets, waist or belt area, legs down and including the ankle area,
small of the back and under arms. No one was excepted (males, females,
babies, (yes even babies being carried), people in wheel chairs - everyone.
When they say no weapons, they mean it. Not even a pen knife. We were told
of this before hand, if you wanted to bring a pen knife, pack it in the
luggage. It will be found and you won't make the plane. Yes, one idiot had
a little pen knife in his pocket, He didn't make the plane. After the
search, you got on the plane.
Two days ago, most Americans would never have stood for this kind of
security. Maybe now they will. With all the foriegn regional and
international flying I do - I appreciate it - going through three
checkpoints and being patted down is a small price to pay for the piece of
mind knowing that the other person doesn't have a weapon.
Brent W.
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