raas767, the difference between the 18-year old National Guardsman and the Northwest captain is that the former is under military discipline, the latter is not. Surprised the Northwest captain can't see this.
Military discipline?????????? So, if the Captain had a Lt. to supervise him, it would be OK to carry a gun?
Standing by a security checkpoint (when was the last checkpoint hijacking?) with an unloaded machine gun/pistol, looking bored, ocasionally stopping to eat requires a lot more discipline than commanding an airliner?
This whole topic is Deja Vu all over again.
FWIW, I don't think we will see any airlines arming their pilots any time soon....... Too much of a political football.
Besides.......
We pilots are much too busy flying the aircraft to fight off hijackers with a firearm (but not too busy to fight them by hand, I guess).
We have the paper mache vault (improved cockpit door)
The security screeners will now be Federal employees.
We are not cops!
There MIGHT be a sky marshall or 2 on the airplane.
Some of us have to fly to hoplophobic areas of the world.
Some talking head on the news said that it won't happen again.
Even if it does, I can rest assured that one of my future co-pilots are up there on a CAP mission waiting to shoot me down. Very comforting!
I am glad that the powers that be are there to protect me and my pax
.........