US Air firing pilot who's gun discharged

[NCFlyer]

NCflyer....All other flights are safer because of the FFDO program. You don't know if your pilots are armed or not, this in itself is a deterent for rush the flight deck door.

Possibly, but there is no way to quantify that for certain.

There is no way to make any door or barrier inpenetrable,

While that may be true I still think that I could make a door in less than a day that no one would be able to get through with something found on the aircraft.

The great thing about being american is we can disagree and no one will be hurt or persecuted for for their opinions. Personally, I am a strong supporter of the FFDO's and hope the program will continue at the same time hope for improvements in the current SOP's. Just curious, you criticize the training but have you been through the program?

Again as I said earlier, I won't have a falling out with some one that disagrees with me, I was just stating my own opinion and no more.

I don't believe that I criticized the training. If I sounded that way I apologize. I'm sure that the training is 1st rate. And no I haven't been through the program.

My beef is with the way the program is set up. Maybe because I haven't been through it I shouldn't comment 1 way or the other. My original point was: if you are going to make the pilots "federal" LEO's then give them the authority to carry the weapon. Not this mickey mouse program where some pilot has to carry his weapon around locked in his man purse and then at the appropriate time he is allowed to unlock & take out the weapon.

My other point was simply in response to the comment that any flight is safer with an armed pilot on board. I asked if arming the crew was required for flight safety then all crews needed to be armed.

 

[GuppyWN]

NCFlyer,

If people didn't speed there wouldn't be a need for speed traps.

If people didn't break into the cockpits and crash planes there wouldn't be a need for armed pilots.

If you don't like the program - no problem. Don't volunteer your time and $100's of dollars to sign up.

God forbid there ever comes a need for an FFDO to do what he was trained to do then I hope like hell he's on MY FLIGHT!

Gup

 

[kf4amu]

Like the training to carry concealed in FL? A 3 hour class that consists of how to fill out the application and then off to the range to fire 1 shot, which doesn't even have to hit the target.

The 2nd amendment doesn't require competency.

 

[Sig]

NCFlyer,

If people didn't speed there wouldn't be a need for speed traps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IayHnA0cGuc

 

[PCL_128]

I'll presume he isn't getting back-pay and no doubt the FFDO program won't let him have another gun.

Correct. The lack of back pay is disturbing. I'm curious if USAPA used an attorney that had any experience in termination cases. In this case, DHS publicly stated numerous times that they were concerned with the faulty design of the holster, yet USAPA still couldn't get this guy a cent of back pay after 18 months? Troubling, to say the least.

I'm glad he's back at work, though. The termination was absolutely ridiculous.

 

[JAFI]

The 2nd amendment doesn't require competency.

Nither does being a parent,

Member of the House or Senate (always a good example)

President of the US (Now is a good example)

I do not have a dog in this fight but, to have this weapon discharge - because of it's specific safety - don't you have to pull the trigger? So why was the weapon out of the holster and pointing the direction it was? If he was putting it back in his holster would the hole in the aircraft be down not sideways? I'm told the hole was out the side of the aircraft.

I wonder what the cost was for fixing a bullet hole in an Airbus was? Should Airways have a mechanic job card for future "events" and what A,B, or C check should the walkaround look for bullet holes in the hull? I know it's not funny but it is.

I am not saying get rid of the program. I think any state certificated passenger should be armed if they wish. Either way this is a lesson in how not to handle a firearm like the video of the cop talking to a grade school group saying he was the only one qualified to handle a weapon as he shoots himself in the foot.....His pistol you had to pull the trigger to discharge the weapon too.

 

[Fly2AK]

My beef is with the way the program is set up. Maybe because I haven't been through it I shouldn't comment 1 way or the other. My original point was: if you are going to make the pilots "federal" LEO's then give them the authority to carry the weapon. Not this mickey mouse program where some pilot has to carry his weapon around locked in his man purse and then at the appropriate time he is allowed to unlock & take out the weapon.

NCflyer.......I agree with you on this point. Keep it safe, see ya!

 

[Fugawe]

??????

 

[A Squared]

Well, at first my thinking was, really tough to excuse an accidental discharge.

Then I watched the video.

YBSM!, they make you run the shackle of a padlock through the trigger guard? Of a loaded gun? a loaded gun with no safety? while it's in a holster and you can't see the trigger? And you do this every time you get up? WTH came up with that plan?

Now I'm just surprised that we've only had one AD in the FFDO program.

 

[PsubS]

Read the thread, man. It was not an accidental discharge.

It was an inadverdent discharge, and the pilot was to blame. I don't care if he keeps his job at USAir, but he dang sure did not do his job as an FFDO.