Pilots Graduated/Security

[Black Jack]

Finally U.S. Air Security is being taken seriously.

The first 50 selected commerical airline pilots graduated from the Federal firearms training program today. The course not only consisted of indepth tactical shooting, over 160,000 rounds fired the first day, but also important weapon retention skills, and close quarter combat methods.

I did not catch the brand of the firearm but they will be issued concealed .40 caliber pistols with I believe frangible rounds.

By Easter Sunday they should be up in the air and the next 50 will be training in June.

[Fred Sanford]

why the heck does the federal govt. like .40 cal so much?

Also, I just heard the other week that the TSA is going to be getting it's own police force for airport security.

[SaMantis]

My God ... scene from an as-yet-unwritten Simpsons episode appears in my addled brain:

Pilot: You check the flaps there, Ed?
Co-pilot: Oh hell, I can't reach the lever.
Pilot: Don't worry! I'll just use my handy-dandy .40 cal!
Co-pilot: Great idea, sir!
Pilot: Yee-hawww!!
(and the hilarity ensues.)

[Shaolin-Do]

When Im president everyone will get Desert Eagle .50's
:)

[Black Jack]

Fed- Who knows but you do see it alot.

[Mr Punch]

what's a fragiable round?

[Black Jack]

A frangible round is a lead-free reduced hazzard form of ammunition. It is designed to break into smaller pieces on contact with hard objects/surfaces thus reduces injury from ricochet.

Makes sense for a plane.

[tsunami surfer]

Almost 3500 rds fired on first day? Man makes my wrist and elbows hurt thinking about that many rds going down range on first day. wonder what the rest of the week was like. They should be using hollow points as frangible will only break apart on a direct hit on steel targets. We use fragible and it will zip right through a car without breaking apart.

[Black Jack]

Maybe they will carry hollowpoints. I thought I heard frangible but I don't know for sure.

I heard that they had a number of drop-outs due to the pressure and that many of them had blistered hands from the range work.

That many rounds will give you some blisters. Ouch!

[African Tiger]

I'm wondering why they don't use flechettes? They are just as lethal, and won't penetrate solid objects.

Of course, .40 S & W might be a bit too much firepower for a flechette :D

BTW the .50 Desert Eagle is no more. You might be able to buy one second hand, but Colt is no longer allowed to manufacture any. Thank your liberal lawmakers for that one, kids........

[Vapour]

I'm extremely doubtful of pilot being armed. The biggest probrlem is that everyone would knows s/he is armed. So gun could become liability than anything.

Israeli commercial passenger airplane always have an armed officer who are disguised as a passenger. Not in this case. I think it is more of public relation stunt than anything else.

[scotty1]

"BTW the .50 Desert Eagle is no more. You might be able to buy one second hand, but Colt is no longer allowed to manufacture any. Thank your liberal lawmakers for that one, kids........"

Why aren't they allowed to make it?