The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - If law permitted CCW on Airlines with a 8 hour training course would you do it?

ClydeFrog · July 16, 2011, 10:08 PM

I voted "maybe" for the topic poll but for a real "armed citizen" program to work the training standards or marksmanship requirements would need way more than just 8hrs.
In the time before 9/11/2001, the FAA had a "red team", a special highly trained counter-terrorist unit. They also had limited duty Sky Marshals, sworn federal LE officers who wore regular clothes & packed snub S&W .44spl revolvers. Author & gun press writer Leroy Thompson wrote about how Sky Marshals had to draw & hit targets the size of a human thumb in order to qualify for the FAA program.
Federal Flight Deck Officers are a smart idea too but I've heard the SOPs & rules are a bit far fetched & rigid. This to me is stupid when you consider how most US pilots or crews are military veterans with YEARS of skill training or flying time(with weapons/ammunition).

One real point I could honestly see is to allow or train retired/former sworn LEOs who are already using the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act to carry loaded concealed firearms nationwide. If these men & women meet those standards then they could also be part-time sworn FAMs or use the same FFDO requirements. Free or reduced airfare or other benefits can be given too.
A major problem with any "citizen" type program could be weapons & ammunition. Would all these reserve FAMs use SIG P229R .357sig pistols? Could they carry BUGs(second guns)? What about white-lights or laser aimers?

All of these are valid questions when you want to go beyond bar talk or idle chat about flying armed/FAMs.

July 16, 2011, 10:08 PM	#28
ClydeFrog Junior member Join Date: May 1, 2010 Posts: 5,797	TSA-FAA; FFDO programs; FAMs, FAA Sky Marshals.... I voted "maybe" for the topic poll but for a real "armed citizen" program to work the training standards or marksmanship requirements would need way more than just 8hrs. In the time before 9/11/2001, the FAA had a "red team", a special highly trained counter-terrorist unit. They also had limited duty Sky Marshals, sworn federal LE officers who wore regular clothes & packed snub S&W .44spl revolvers. Author & gun press writer Leroy Thompson wrote about how Sky Marshals had to draw & hit targets the size of a human thumb in order to qualify for the FAA program. Federal Flight Deck Officers are a smart idea too but I've heard the SOPs & rules are a bit far fetched & rigid. This to me is stupid when you consider how most US pilots or crews are military veterans with YEARS of skill training or flying time(with weapons/ammunition). One real point I could honestly see is to allow or train retired/former sworn LEOs who are already using the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act to carry loaded concealed firearms nationwide. If these men & women meet those standards then they could also be part-time sworn FAMs or use the same FFDO requirements. Free or reduced airfare or other benefits can be given too. A major problem with any "citizen" type program could be weapons & ammunition. Would all these reserve FAMs use SIG P229R .357sig pistols? Could they carry BUGs(second guns)? What about white-lights or laser aimers? All of these are valid questions when you want to go beyond bar talk or idle chat about flying armed/FAMs.