Knives on Airplanes

[glennmac]

Recent news stories report that people are still getting on planes with pocket knives, razors, leatherman implements and even boxcutters. Even with truly improved airport screening, I bet a determined terrorist could get some sort of slicing device onto an airplane.

Wouldn't it be a more effective strategy to allow, or even encourage, everyone to carry knives on airplanes. The terrorist would be much more deterred if he feared the entire cabin was filled with scores of people as equally armed as he is.

 

[GlueGuy]

Glenmac,

That's not too far off of my thinking. I think the old screening procedures are probably good enough. The bigger win comes from securing the cockpit from forceable entry; maybe even bullet-proofing the bulkhead.

After 911, my feeling is that no terrorist-wannabe would get away with a simple pointy-object hijacking. I flew to the midwest last week, and I know I was ready to jump all over anyone that had any crazy ideas; even if it meant possible harm to me. Better that I go, than others, the plane, or somebody's crazy idea of a "target" on the ground.

The GlueGuy

 

[MarkV]

I agree with GlueGuy that a hijacker today would face a different type of passenger on a plane. Let’s face it, a nice sharp #2 pencil would make a pretty good weapon and I don’t think we will get to the point you can’t have a pencil when you fly. It was common training for flight crews to assume that if hijacked you would be diverted someplace where officials could deal with the hijacker. Not anymore. Crews are being trained to be more aggressive and passengers are ready to take on anyone that tries anything. I don’t think we will see anymore hijackings.

MarkV

 

[cowboydoc]

That doesn't bother me half as bad as the other scenario. I was talking to one of my friends who is a pilot and has a small jet that he flys people for charter flights. I told I bet he hates all the new regs. now. He said things hadn't changed one bit. He said there was not one thing that would stop him from loading a 1000 lbs. of explosives on his plane and flying it into the Sears tower. He isn't even tracked on radar! What good are all the commercial precautions if the small planes aren't regulated at all?

 

[Jag]

Oh to hear the voice of reason... Do you have any idea of how many unregistered finger nail clippers that are out there.... Some have said it should be like a south Texas honkey tonk... Check your knives and guns at the door, "Don't have one, then here is one you can borrow".......

 

[GlueGuy]

<font color=blue>What good are all the commercial precautions if the small planes aren't regulated at all?</font color=blue>

I don't know about the rest of the country, but here in the Bay Area there is NO small aircraft/VFR flying allowed at all any more. I've been grounded unwillingly since 911, and I don't like it one bit.

If we are going to cower in the corner over every conceivable threat, then the coocoo's have already won.

I will keep on living normally, but when I see a real threat, I will respond.

The GlueGuy

 

[BobT]

FYI ...

Full story at CNN http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/10/13/rec.recovery.facts/index.html

Recovery: Ban on private planes partially lifted

October 13, 2001 Posted at: 10:42 a.m. EDT (1442 GMT)

SUMMARY:

The Federal Aviation Administration has partially lifted its ban on private planes, allowing pilots to fly in and around 15 metropolitan areas by next Wednesday.

Pilots who are not instrument-rated and do not file flight plans had been banned from flying near 30 major metropolitan areas for national security concerns.

UPDATE:

The FAA announced private flying will be phased-in starting on Monday in and around Houston, Kansas City, Missouri, Memphis, New Orleans and St. Louis. On Tuesday, Cleveland, Dallas-Fort Worth, Honolulu, Minneapolis and Phoenix will lift their ban. Private pilots will be allowed to fly into and around Charlotte, Cincinnati, Ohio-Covington, Kentucky, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tampa on Wednesday.

Since the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, many pilots and their union have been calling for the arming of pilots as a last resort to prevent hijackers from taking over planes.

United Airlines pilot Bob Giuda, also a New Hampshire state representative, is circulating a resolution this month among the various union councils that calls for the government to let pilots have guns. If legislation isn't enacted, Giuda wants the pilots to suspend air service.


BobT.
A Indiana Boy

 

[ERNIEB]

GlueGuy, I agree, The recent incident of the Chicago plane indicates a different kind of passenger these days. If someone makes a move for the cabin door, all bets are off.

Ernie

 

[GlueGuy]

BobT,

Good info. However, you'll notice that "San Francisco Bay Area" is not on the list.

This is devastating to all the small businesses (and flight instructors, etc.) that are operating out of the 6 or so bay area small airports. These people have been effectively put out of business now for over a month.

Maybe a couple of the FBO's will be OK, but the many, many flying instructors don't make that much to begin with. We're going to have to put some perspective on this folks...

The GlueGuy

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

Glueguy & BobT:
A couple of days ago, CNN had a segment on Freeway Airport, where I learned to fly in 1963, and kept various single-engine VFR airplanes over the years. It is between Washington D.C. and Annapolis, MD. It seems likely that it is well behind the San Francisco Bay area to be allowed to reopen. Same is true of College Park, MD., the oldest operating airport in the world. An awful lot of the little guys in general aviation are going under, and will not be replaced. Glueguy, you've already seen first hand the destruction of low-end general aviation, and its replacement by the homebuilt movement, which is starting to evolve back into production of manufactured small airplanes. This "crisis", however, is another opportunity to rid the skies of those horrible little planes that keep knocking airliners out of the skies, falling on schools, etc., even though the terrorists' weapon of choice were modern Boeings.
Time for AOPA and EAA to crank up their lobbiests, but I am not optimistic. Recreational and low-end business flying have taken another huge hit.

Charlie Iliff