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View Full Version : Armed Pilot National Press Protest


smokingun
23rd Aug 2003, 19:57
Airline Pilots Security Alliance, CAPA, APA, SWAPA
National Media Event – Tuesday Morning, August 26, 2003

Do you want to fix the Federal Flight Deck Officer Program? Do you want to send the message that you’re tired of being treated like children by the government? Do you want to put a spotlight on all the things TSA is doing to thwart arming pilots while it makes you take off your shoes so you can’t get control of an airplane…five minutes before you get control of an airplane? Do you want to be part of the solution? You are invited to participate in the largest, most aggressive, coordinated activity yet to finally give you the tools to protect your passengers! And we need your help!

In light of recent press reports of new threats to airliners and the TSA’s potential security draw downs due to cost overruns, the Airline Pilots Security Alliance, the Coalition of Airline Pilots, the Allied Pilots Association, members of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association and other groups, as well as a large contingent of your fellow pilots, and interested political leaders, will hold simultaneous national press conferences on August 26 to protest the hamstringing of the Federal Flight Deck Officer program.

On August 26, at 1100 EDT (1000 CDT, 0900 MDT, 0800 PDT) we will conduct simultaneous press conferences at the airports below, to deliver a unified message, illustrating that professional pilots and pilot unions throughout the United States want the FFDO program fixed. At the same time, we are coordinating a campaign to send our opinion to Washington and galvanize the industry and the public! We intend to use “Shock and Awe” to overwhelm those who would seek to thwart the FFDO program!

We will to need to draw a large contingent of pilots and concerned public to these events in order to be heard!

Please plan to come to one of the following airports to be a part of the solution on Tuesday, August 26. The local team leaders are also listed below:

11:00 am (EDT)
Miami International Airport -- Rob Sproc, [email protected]
A Concourse Auditorium (upstairs) Room 1

11:00 am (EDT)
Atlanta Airport Hilton – Randy Safewright,[email protected]
Virginia Avenue, Ogeechee Conference Room

11:00 am (EDT)
Reagan International Airport -- Bob Lambert, [email protected], Jon Safley, [email protected]
North Terrace, Upper Level

11:00 am (EDT)
Senator Jim Bunning & Airline Pilots
Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati International Airport -- Leon Laylagian, [email protected]
Terminal 1, Room 2054, 2nd Level

10:00 am (CDT)
Chicago O’Hare International Airport
SPECIFIC LOCATION NOT CONFIRMED, CHECK WWW.SECURE-SKIES.ORG BEFORE DEPARTING

8:00 am (PDT)
Los Angeles International Airport - Terminal 4 - Denny Breslin, [email protected]
American Airlines terminal on the upper/departure level

10:00 am (Hawaiian Local Time)
Inter-Island Terminal -- Linda Pauwels, [email protected]

If you can’t come, letters, calls and visits to Congress, and to President Bush, over the next week, saying it is time to remove roadblocks such as psychological screening, background checks, lockboxes and cargo pilot restrictions, and get pilots armed and credentialed as are other federal officers, would be a great help! The FFDO program and our future treatment by the TSA are in our hands. Thus far, we achieved an armed pilot program when most initially said it was impossible. It is now time for us to fix this mess! I am confident we will again be successful!

GlueBall
26th Aug 2003, 03:31
Sorry, but I am a member of the silent majority of professional airline pilots who are not inclined to take up arms on the job. If ever I were made to do so, I'd quit my airline job.

I believe that armored cockpit doors and bulkheads are sufficient for a secure cockpit,...along with security training, "opened curtains" in the aisles and a new passenger awareness about inflight cockpit security.

Far larger security concerns are about screening checked baggage for explosives, and about securing airport perimeters.

eye
31st Aug 2003, 04:14
If Pilots were allowed (whether they do or not) to carry guns, would the events of Sept 11th happened???????????????