I'm not the least bit afraid. But I think the idea of arming pilots is a stupid solution to a non-existent problem. No one will successfully hijack a plane again, and it won't be because pilots are armed. It will be because passengers and cabin crew will resist, cockpit doors have been hardened, and pilots won't cooperate. The 9/11 hijackers exploited the prevailing regimen for dealing with hijackers. That loophole has been closed. It doesn't matter if hijackers have guns, box cutters, golf clubs, or finger nail files--they aren't going to get control of another plane. So we're spending jillions of dollars beefing up security to keep box cutters, golf clubs, and finger nail files off planes. And we're creating a new set of procedures, policies, government bureaucracy, and headaches having to deal with armed pilots. Now we have to deal with guns in secure areas, what to do with them if the plane flies to international destinations that won't allow guns in cockpits, etc., etc. The next attack will exploit some new loophole. Instead of spending all this time, money, and effort closing the barn door after the horse has escaped, we should be figuring how to thwart new types of attacks. ----- Original Message ----- From: <damiross2@xxxxxxxxx> To: <AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, April 07, 2003 3:20 PM Subject: Re: First group of airline pilots set to begin firearms training > Why the hell are you afraid of something that could save your life?