Cargo Boy: My advice was for what a Russian airline might be able to get away with-that is how the thread began. Maybe it appears out of context. Your comments are reasonable and reflect the present day, which we are all too aware of. Mine merely reflect what might have worked as a deterrent, at least in the good old days. As active-duty pilots called it at the end of UPT, hoping for a very good first assignment (i.e. F-4/16, C-141...) this is just my 'dream sheet'.
Of course we hide behind our c0ckp1t doors thesedays, even before 9/11. Let's just be hypothetical, and consider what would prevent most, if not all passenger violence if we had the actual authority, and we were preferably on the ground. Nobody leaves the 'flightdeck' in the air anymore except when getting rid of our delicious (yek) metal-tainted coffee, in the lav (or plastic trash bag hanging from the FO's armrest-looks better than from our aileron trim knob).
It is still my opinion, and only mine(yeah-right), that such attacks on crewmembers would probably never occur if we were allowed, that is, allowed, to let a few people administer instant justice. One of my faults is being sincere whenever commenting on Pprune. I upgraded to (100-122 seats) 'turbofan' captain about a year before 9/11 happened [steam-gauge' and not ashamed
], and it is too bad that our corrupt US legal system allows corporations little or no chance to avoid litigation.
Several years ago, one of our fellow captains was punched in the face at the gate in DTW by a passenger with a major attitude problem: the captain was busy using his pen, writing on the flight release (required to be signed for each flight under Part 121), and the attacker wanted to use it.... This airline is so "limp-wristed", that it would not press charges because the attack was away from the plane! The Captain spent his money and time off to press charges! Too bad that he was not allowed to knock the guy's teeth in. In New England, the attacker appeared in court and was fined a modest amount of money. Maybe the Captain should have given his attacker a "Village People" sticker and a rainbow patch to stick on his front car bumper...then handed him his mascara......let's make sure that our airline system does NOT go in that direction.
At least flying cargo, people aren't carried in back, what a blessing. With our recent paycut, we are all subsidizing more cheap tickets (now Delta style?) so that we can carry more of the Jerry Springer type crowd
.
If Europe starts showing that damned show on their tvs (MTV is bad enough) then I'll just carry a fake Canadian passport. Maybe "Soldier of Fortune" magazine can tell me where to get these.....and a cheap old M-1 .30 caliber carbine rifle.
Mine is a wimpy, single-shot bolt action .22. Might need a rainbow sticker for it....
