We also cannot be sure that an armed pilot would be 100% effective. Part of any soldier or LEO’S firearms training includes clearing stoppages. One at the wrong time and you’re stuffed.
It’s very easy to miss a man size target. You can see it every day on the range, especially when you throw fear or panic into the equation. Try shooting against a pro-timer one-day and see how good you are then. You personally may be an excellent shot, but there are many more shooters out there where the safest place for bystanders is in front of the person shooting and these individuals have been blazing away for years.
I suppose that in your scenario the terrorist wouldn’t be unsporting and attack the flight deck in numbers, so you can calmly shoot them one at a time.
You’re dead right about security in layers though. This has got to be the way forward.
It does seem that the US government would rather shoot down an A/C if it becomes hi-jacked and heads toward a sensitive area. It’s now just another unfortunate fact of life.
I would hope that the US government considered the arguments for and against arming flight crews. Although you’re arguments are passionately put, they and similar arguments failed to win the day. I suspect that some of the counter arguments came from the security agencies themselves. Until you find a more convincing argument, you’re going to have to stick with the fire axe like the rest of us.
Cheers.
PS Thanks for the tip re the autopilot, I’ve always wondered why things calmed down when I say, “centre in command” after we’ve cleaned up
