Likelihood of terrorists flying for airlines

[Cokie907]

It is an absolutely believable scenario and one that I'm sure many flight crews have discussed in the years since 9/11. Before then, we suffered from a lack of imagination but not anymore. The recent release of "Flight 93" on A&E has reignited discussions in the crew room about what it would like to be hijacked but the absolute worst case scenario would be a hijacker ALREADY in the cockpit.

Someone said it would be a long, arduous task to attain flight ratings and the hours necessary to carry off this kind of attack. THIS IS BUNK! My FO last month began flying only 2 years ago and came straight to the airline through Gulfstream Academy. Doesn't sound like an arduous career track to me provided that the money is there.

This is one of the reasons why we must continue on in the War on Terror as it has been mapped out by the Bush administration after 9/11. Bush has explained time and time again that we cannot competely guard this country against EVERY CONCEIVABLE ATTACK from radical elements of Islam. We must take the fight to them and disrupt/destroy their networks, shut down their funding and work to spread FREEDOM around the globe because free societies do not sponsor terrorists, plain and simple.

P.S.- If you have not seen "Flight 93" on A&E yet, you need to. It will really make you stop and think for a bit about what went on in that plane.

 

[Flyingdutchman]

This is by far the best thing I have read today! thanks for the good laugh man!

I can see it now....

4:30 AM <<RING...RING>>

(Abdul wakes from his slumber...)

Abdul: "Hello? Is this scheduling? You know you guys aren't supposed to call during rest!"

Muhammed: "Abdul. This is Muhammed. It is time my brother."

Abdul: "Time? Time for what? Did I miss the van?"

Muhammed: "It is time for you to complete your mission! 50 virgins await you!"

Abdul: "Really? Wow. Hey, listen. I just got off of reserve. I'm finally holding a pretty good line with weekends off. How about we wait until after the holidays?"

Muhammed: "What? No! You must act now. The entire plan depends on you!"

Abdul: "Now? No. I picked up a Las Vegas 3-day and I wanted to bring this slutty flight-attendant I met. You know, a little gambling, a little steak. I'll be a martar some other time."

Muhammed: "Abdul! Allah would be displeased! The Jihad it depends on you!"

Abdul: "(yawn) Listen, I have a 7:00am show this morning. Starting a 4-day. The bids come out next week, I might be able to hold 737 Captain out of Phoenix. Why dont you give me a call next summer and we'll see how things look?"

<click>

 

[Flyer1015]

Originally Posted by BenderGonzales
I can see it now....

4:30 AM <<RING...RING>>

(Abdul wakes from his slumber...)

Abdul: "Hello? Is this scheduling? You know you guys aren't supposed to call during rest!"

Muhammed: "Abdul. This is Muhammed. It is time my brother."

Abdul: "Time? Time for what? Did I miss the van?"

Muhammed: "It is time for you to complete your mission! 50 virgins await you!"

Abdul: "Really? Wow. Hey, listen. I just got off of reserve. I'm finally holding a pretty good line with weekends off. How about we wait until after the holidays?"

Muhammed: "What? No! You must act now. The entire plan depends on you!"

Abdul: "Now? No. I picked up a Las Vegas 3-day and I wanted to bring this slutty flight-attendant I met. You know, a little gambling, a little steak. I'll be a martar some other time."

Muhammed: "Abdul! Allah would be displeased! The Jihad it depends on you!"

Abdul: "(yawn) Listen, I have a 7:00am show this morning. Starting a 4-day. The bids come out next week, I might be able to hold 737 Captain out of Phoenix. Why dont you give me a call next summer and we'll see how things look?"

<click>

The real question is, was that Floyd from crew scheduling who called Muhammed ? :laugh:

 

[81Horse]

The real question is, was that Floyd from crew scheduling who called Muhammed ?

Hah! That's the first thing that came to my mind, too.

 

[FlyingToIST]

Despite of all the name calling, Mohammed , Abdul jokes, despite of the president saying "we gonna smoke 'em"; we are still very vulnerable.
I have been pushing for the screening of passangers outside of the terminal since 9/11. But what do i know i am muslim, i am a foreigner, i don't know jack crap..

I recall the terrorists attacks of Orly, Fiumicino, Istanbul and Ankara.. We take the lighters off the pockets, but we still don't screen the luggages inside of the terminal. At my hometown airport , KSEA, terrorists can show up with 5 luggages at 5 different locations of the terminal full of C4s..

But, again, TSA is it's first enemy.. People don't know about these things because we are busy creating agencies that don't do jack crap.. but yeah, we also have $130 per foreigner "feel good measure" for training too.

 

[FN FAL]

Despite of all the name calling, Mohammed , Abdul jokes, despite of the president saying "we gonna smoke 'em"; we are still very vulnerable.

How come nobody is jumping on the "polygraph a pilot" idea?

If there's some worry that pilots could be terrorists, just waiting to jump out the cake like an exotic dancer at a bachelor party, why don't we just polygraph all commercial pilot applicants from 5 years before 9/11 and on up to tomorrow? But we should definitely work on the commercial pilots that only wanted to learn how to steer the plane. Those that really concentrated on take offs and landings should be granted amnesty.

 

[Flyer1015]

But we should definitely work on the commercial pilots that only wanted to learn how to steer the plane. Those that really concentrated on take offs and landings should be granted amnesty.

Now, now, don't be silly .

If that plan was implemented, terrorists wouldn't be stupid: they would all do the "smart" thing, and express great interest in takeoffs and landings (simply so they can blend in).

 

[Resocha]

It is an absolutely believable scenario and one that I'm sure many flight crews have discussed in the years since 9/11.

Someone said it would be a long, arduous task to attain flight ratings and the hours necessary to carry off this kind of attack. THIS IS BUNK!

We must take the fight to them and disrupt/destroy their networks, shut down their funding and work to spread FREEDOM around the globe because free societies do not sponsor terrorists, plain and simple.

I entirely agree that it is a conceivable scenario. To deny it is naive. If they'll train for 3 years in the desert to learn how to garotte a man, then they'll suffer through 18 months at FSI.

However, bombing the world into submission to enforce our lifestyle is not the answer. Free societies don't sponsor terrorists? What about the Irish Republican Army or Timothy McVeigh? You don't need state support to have a violent political agenda.

 

[FN FAL]

Oh, then you must have never heard of the Irish Republican Army or Timothy McVeigh. You don't need state support to have a violent political agenda.

Hey, if you're going to lump the IRA with Timothy McVeigh, you might as well lump SWAPO and Mandella in there too.

 

[Resocha]

Hey, if you're going to lump the IRA with Timothy McVeigh, you might as well lump SWAPO and Mandella in there too.

The point being that terrorists exist in free societies, as well as closed societies.