Stun guns. Please tell me I was dreaming.

[Loose rivets]

A few minutes ago on the Jay Leno show. Words to the affect that it has been approved for aircrew to use stun guns.

In an industry where one company can have a multi-billion dollar debt, the odd judgement for a billion in punitive damages would go unnoticed I suppose.

[411A]

On one US airline only, apparently.
Beware of the hostie's firing wild west style... when you want that extra bourbon and branch water.
You have been warned.:ugh: :ugh:

[aviator]

Actually it is rumoured to be Korean Air.

[BEagle]

Stun guns? Oh that's a relief - I thought you meant Sten guns.....

[Konkordski]

How long before the first 'Captain accidentally stuns first officer' headline?

[eal401]

the Jay Leno show
And this is a reliable source???

[ETOPS]

The answer, as ever, is available via Google.


Here is the link to the news item (http://start.earthlink.net/newsarticle?cat=1&aid=D867UTH00_story)


Why you guys can't just type "Korean +taser" into any search engine is beyond me..........

[Dumbledor]

According to the pictures next to the article it's good for getting rid of wrinkles too. Sorry I couldn’t resist that one.
D

[L337]

Why you guys can't just type "Korean +taser" into any search engine is beyond me..........

ETOPS:

That would be because we are not as amazingly brilliant like what you are.

It must be so hard to be humble.

L337

[Memetic]

Anyone know if Tasers have been certified as flight safe from an electrical / radio interference view point?


Now I do not know whcih exact model is being proposed for use but here are some facts from Taser's web site ( http://www.taser.com/facts/qa.htm )

The ADVANCED TASER should not be used anywhere that cigarettes are forbidden for fire safety reasons. The ADVANCED TASER should never be used on anyone who has been sprayed with an alcohol based chemical spray – including some alcohol based pepper sprays — which could ignite.

According to KAL's website they are a no smoking airline. Sarcasm aside would this mean that if an agressive Pax was throwing spirit drinks around it should not be used due to fire risk?


Power Supply:
AA Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries 1.2 Volts
AA Hi-Output Alkaline (Duracell® Ultra) batteries 1.5 Volts

Air Cartridge: Compressed nitrogen (1800 lb./in2)

Cartridge Shelf Life: 5 years.

Weight: 18 ounces. Including batteries and Air Cartridge.

Energy: Power: 26 Watts; Per Pulse: 1.76 Joules; and Amps: 162mA Irms


Are the compressed nitrogen cartridges acceptable?

Can the airline guaretee that the crew are good enough shots to hit the target when the torso is obscured by a seat?

I know htat there have been very agressive air rage incidents but is this really needed / worth the risk?

[Wino]

What risk?

Its non lethal...

Air rage has been lethal on the otherhand.

Cheers
Wino

[spannersatcx]

What risk?

FIRE

[josephshankes]

The old taser. Nice piece of kit that. Bought one myself in Paris 3 years ago and never leave home without it.

The guy that sold it to me said it "would drop an elephant". Been looking for an elephant ever since, to try it out on.

If I could get it past security, I would have tried it on some of our "horizontally challenged "hosties.

[TheNightOwl]

The reason I feel concern is that, if a laptop, or other portable electronic device, can be blamed for generating sufficient RF interference to affect an aircraft's electronic instrumentation, what RF output is to be generated by a 50Kv pulse of energy?

Kind regards,

TheNightOwl.:confused:

[lead zeppelin]

Stun Guns??

Well, that's one way to keep 'current'

lol:rolleyes:

[broadreach]

Can I have one please? Not the gun, just the stun. If'n it'll keep me asleep and preferably not dreaming until we land? How much will it cost for a) stunning me and b) stunning the all-night blatherer in the seat next to me.

See, for every problem raised an opportunity opens. Now please don't ask me difficult questions about how I get out of the aircraft in an emergency while I'm in deep coma. Just leave me there, I'll be fine. Leave the bozo in 37Z there as well. :ok:

[fastjet2k]

having seen the food we had on board this evening, I think a quick blast from one of those and the chicken would have been running up and down the cabin again - could be dangerous if mixed with catering??? :yuk:

[ETOPS]

L337

That would be because we are not as amazingly brilliant like what you are.

Thanks - it's nice to be recognised for the Skygod that I am.......

[Wings]

Some time ago now, our company had all its flight crew go through "Drunk, Violent and Abusive passenger" training (that means 'how to handle D.V.A pax, not how to be one').

As part of the training we had a discussion about tasers. It turns out that our instructor (ex police, ex airport security) had been zapped by one previously.

He reported that;

1. The two darts fired from the taser don't have to actually contact your skin. Contacting your clothing is good enough.

2. The electrical jolt will knock you off your feet immediately.

3. The electrical jolt causes an adrenaline surge in you that throws you back up on your feet straight away - almost involuntarily.

4. The taser operator has to zap you a second time to overpower the adrenaline surge - this time you go down and stay down.

5. One major South East Asian airline was looking very seriously at installing them, but the pre flight test of their seviceability was a 'press to test' button on the taser, which flattened the battery over a period of about 6 months. The cost of these particular batteries meant that only people with names like Rockerfella or Gates could afford to replace them.

Happy Zapping

Cheers

[radeng]

There are questions about whether or not they are really are non lethal - there are a fair number of cases where people have died after they've been hit by it. I believe it's normally people with medical problems, admittedly.

I wonder what happens if the target is wearing metallised clothing?

[Groundgripper]

"I wonder what happens if the target is wearing metallised clothing?"

Sorry, I just had this wonderful image of someone in a suit of armour being hit by a taser - sound, and visual, effects courtesy of the cartoon industry!

Might work like a faraday cage if you're lucky (or unlucky - depending on which end of the taser you're at!), or just toast the target evenly all over.

GG

[radeng]

Groundgripper,

You've made my day!

Thoughts of what security would make of someone clanking up to the metal detector in a suit of armour. Even a chain mail shirt would send them bonkers - especially if it was the TSA!

[419]

4. The taser operator has to zap you a second time to overpower the adrenaline surge - this time you go down and stay down

Can a taser give more than one zap when it's hit a person, or will it require being "shot" by another one.

419