Pros And Cons Of An Armed Pilot

Just recently there has been uproar over airport security and the use of body scanners on passengers. After 9/11 many airlines have toughen up their security measures in order to prevent this tragic accident to ever occur again. In order to improve security and make our lives a lot safer airlines have implemented many different types of technology. Technology aids airline security to see what passengers are possibly carrying under their clothing. Making passengers go through X-Ray screenings can not only prevent passengers from boarding a plane with harmful equipment but it can also deter the thought of someone actually making an attempt to board while carrying a weapon. Other technological advancements such as surveillance cameras are being

“After 9/11, the airport security became very strict and has over time, tried to become more efficient and practical for travelers.” said Jotterand.

According to Jason Villemez of the PBS News Hour, there were immediate changes to airport security following 9/11. Within 2 months of the attacks, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act was passed. This law requires that every single bag is screened at airports andrequires that certain procedures are followed at every airport (Swickard). Before 9/11, scissors, baseball bats, darts, and 4-inch-long blades were allowed, but these are now illegal under the ATSA (O’Connor). The Aviation and Transportation Security Act also created the Transportation Security Administration known as the TSA (Tognotti). Each airport had to supply their own security before 9/11, but with the creation of the TSA, the government supplied security for airports (Villemez). Gabi Logan of USA Today found that the increase in security including baggage checks caused a six percent decrease in the number of passengers. Passengers chose not to travel at all or found a different way to get to their destination. While security in airports was significantly increased, 9/11 also affected millions of Americans involved in the war on terror”.

Airport security pre 9/11 was very unorganized which is what led to such a cotastrophy. The job of aviation security was largly dealt with by private security firms which led to incunsistency, and the FAA did an inadequarte job at keeping these inconsistencies in check. According to a 1987 FAA test 20% of dangerous items were missed by the airport screeners, and as time went on that percentage worsened “Test data for the 1991 to 1999 period show that the declining trend in detection rates continues.” (GAO, 2001a, p. 6). Due to this lack of organization 5 planes were able to be hijacked on the same day. This act of terrorism made apperant that that the job of aviation protection had to be taken out of the handss of the FAA and be made more of a federal issue. From

Before the 9/11 attacks, which changed how we travel, airport security was minimal, with just X-rays and metal detectors. No one got a body search, and almost no one’s carry on bag got checked. No aircraft was required to shut the cockpit door, and air marshals weren 't everywhere, only 33 Federal Air Marshals were active on 9/11. Friends and Family were authorized to go all the way to the gate, and people were allowed Swiss Army Knifes on flights. Everyone could arrive just minutes before a flight and no-one would be concerned.

Flying out or in of the country or even within has become more challenging since the 9/11 attacks. It takes more time to get through security which makes for a much earlier arrival time for those flying. Most airlines require an arrival two hours prior to their departure time. Many Americans have stopped flying altogether because of the hassle of airport security and out of fear. Before the attacks, airport security was more relaxed. Basic security measures were in place, but it was much different than today. Before the attacks, security screenings were set in place by the private companies, many which were outsourced to different security companies. Passengers were allowed to bring certain size blades, scissors, baseball bats and even sewing needles. All of these items have since been banned as a result of the attacks. Since the attacks, the Transportation Security Administration was created and the security screenings are now regulated by the federal government. Through TSA, passengers bags are checked for banned items, they screened for suspicious behavior, the explosive detection system was implemented, and the full body scanner is now used to check passengers. According to Rick Seaney, “Our security ought to stop anything these days, stringent as it is: We've gone from the metal detectors of the 1970s to post-9/11 body scans and enhanced pat downs. Cockpit doors are now fortified, and the sky

Airports and airplanes have become firmer in the past 14 years. If you are boarding an airplane, check-in is two hours prior to takeoff. There are also many restrictions as to what passengers can and cannot bring. Sharp objects, sporting goods, guns, tools, and more are prohibited. Because of new screening equipment and more thorough searches, boarding lines are much longer. To ensure that 9/11 has a much lower chance of happening again, Sky Marshalls have

Now we have detailed criminal background checks, not only on passengers, but on airport employees as well. There's now more cross-checking with the FBI, and we have watch lists for suspicious passengers. Currently with all the constant airplane crashes, there's explicit background checks on the airplane pilots now, too. At check-in, people must have a valid photo ID. Carry-on luggages are inspected much more carefully today than before the attacks. Passengers are limited to a carry on and a personal item, like a backpack or purse. The updated technology at security can check what's inside of a carry-on much more than it did before. They now have explosive detecting machines that all items must pass through at the security checkpoint. At check-in, people must have a valid photo ID. Before 9/11, anyone could see their loved one at the gate before they were to go on the plane, but now only actual passengers are permitted to pass the security area. Even though we've come this far, there's more room for better security in the future. We still have plane crashes and attacks that need to be stopped. So because of this, the backgrounds checks and the technology in airports need to continue to

Transportation security today has evolved into a proactive process rather than a reactive response to threats, or failed attempts involving skyjacking. “The only recorded

Imagine yourself as a passenger on a hijacked plane. The happiness that we once had escapes us and fear soon takes over. If we allow the panic to escalate, we begin to feel helpless. These understandable feelings of fear and helplessness have moved people to argue that we should arm airline pilots. Certainly it is reassuring to imagine pilots as our protectors. However, is it really a good idea to let guns fly first class? When one considers the policy of arming pilots, many look at the “What Ifs?” and stray away from the benefits of the policy. It is safe to say that the airport security at the terminals is very demanding; however, nothing is bulletproof. What security do passengers have at 10,000 feet if an attack

There has been a lot of enhancements in airport security. “Specific ID required; ID name must match name on ticket” (“research from fare compare”) if you are traveling with a kid you have to have a birth certificate for them and the security guy questions the kid about his or her age who their traveling

For instances, “The new TSA implemented procedural that included stricter guidelines on passenger and baggage screening. Only ticketed passengers could go through security, and an ever changing array of machinery and procedures were introduced to scan for weapons and destructive items”(9/11 to Now). Today these changes make air travel much harder and stricker to go. Another big change to airport security is what you are and aren’t allowed to bring to the

Some people may think that having guns in the cockpit of a commercial airline would be dangerous, however it is quite the contrary. For instance, many airplane hijackings can be prevented with just one gun. However, some people are probably against pilots being heavily armed, but most would like them to have at least a handgun. As a matter of fact, I think arming pilots is a great idea. Therefore, arming pilots is a great idea because it keeps passengers safe, stops tragedies, and pilots will be trained to handle a gun.

The issue of pilots carrying weapons, while flying, is not new. Since the earliest days of pilots flying the U.S. Mail, they carried guns to protect themselves and the vital cargo of mail. Today, pilots are authorized to fly with weapons to protect the aircraft, their passengers, and themselves from hijackers and terrorists. It has become a last line of defense in case of a hostile takeover of the aircraft, turning it into a weapon of mass destruction, as we witnessed, during the devastating attacks on the World Trade Center (9/11). The controversy surrounding this issue today has grown into heated debates with anti-gun lobbyist protest, and even the pilots themselves proclaiming their

Airline industry is a growing and a challenging industry across the globe and it is becoming more competitive on quality, pricing and most prominently safety in the contemporary world.