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Cockpit Gun Guidelines Expected Today
Aired February 25, 2003 - 14:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Guidelines for arming airline pilots are expected later today. Gunpits (ph) in the cockpit would augment security already in place aboard many airlines, including armed air marshals and reinforced cockpit doors.
With more on what the new plan may entail, we're joined by Patty Davis at Reagan National Airport -- Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, pilots are expected to begin training with guns within the next several weeks, 48 pilots in that first group. This is voluntary, strictly voluntary for the pilots who want to do it.
Now, last week, a Transportation Security Administration task force recommended that pilots get .40 caliber semiautomatic pistols. That is after and only after they pass 48 hours, or five straight days, of training, and they have to pass psychological testing and background checks as well.
Pilots must also wear their guns in holsters in flight. Now, pilots are to stay in the cockpit at all times when they have that holster on. They're not going to be coming into the back of the plane where the air marshals would be, and getting involved in gun battles back there. That is the air marshal's job. We are expecting a decision today by the head of the Transportation Security Administration on those recommendations. Will he say that he will adopt those, or change some of them?
But we did talk to some passengers here at Reagan National Airport today who weighed in with their own opinions on pilots getting guns.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that they're taking enough safeguards that the pilots who have the guns are going to be researched well enough and be trained well enough that they'll know how to use them, and I think any extra safeguard is good.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As long as it's well secured, they're well trained, I would welcome that on the plane as one more additional measure of protection.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: Pilots' unions say that their members overwhelmingly want guns, but they do have some concerns with these recommendations. Specifically, one of those concerns, the psychological testing. What they are worried about is if they go through the psychological testing and they flunk, are they going to lose their jobs? Will the airline -- will the Transportation Security Administration decertify them? And they are worried about that. That question still to be answered -- Anderson.
COOPER: Just so we're absolutely clear about this, Patty. This decision is voluntary, so it's not necessarily going to affect all pilots?
DAVIS: Right. It's voluntary, and when Congress passed the legislation, what they did was they took out at the last minute cargo pilots, so cargo pilots are not going to be eligible to train to get guns.
There is a bill, though, by Congressmen John Mica of Florida. He is a key aviation member in the House, to restore that right to cargo pilots. Cargo pilots are mad that they were kept out of the bill, and they want -- they want to have that same right -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Patty Davis live at Reagan National. Thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 25, 2003 - 14:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Guidelines for arming airline pilots are expected later today. Gunpits (ph) in the cockpit would augment security already in place aboard many airlines, including armed air marshals and reinforced cockpit doors.
With more on what the new plan may entail, we're joined by Patty Davis at Reagan National Airport -- Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, pilots are expected to begin training with guns within the next several weeks, 48 pilots in that first group. This is voluntary, strictly voluntary for the pilots who want to do it.
Now, last week, a Transportation Security Administration task force recommended that pilots get .40 caliber semiautomatic pistols. That is after and only after they pass 48 hours, or five straight days, of training, and they have to pass psychological testing and background checks as well.
Pilots must also wear their guns in holsters in flight. Now, pilots are to stay in the cockpit at all times when they have that holster on. They're not going to be coming into the back of the plane where the air marshals would be, and getting involved in gun battles back there. That is the air marshal's job. We are expecting a decision today by the head of the Transportation Security Administration on those recommendations. Will he say that he will adopt those, or change some of them?
But we did talk to some passengers here at Reagan National Airport today who weighed in with their own opinions on pilots getting guns.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that they're taking enough safeguards that the pilots who have the guns are going to be researched well enough and be trained well enough that they'll know how to use them, and I think any extra safeguard is good.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As long as it's well secured, they're well trained, I would welcome that on the plane as one more additional measure of protection.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: Pilots' unions say that their members overwhelmingly want guns, but they do have some concerns with these recommendations. Specifically, one of those concerns, the psychological testing. What they are worried about is if they go through the psychological testing and they flunk, are they going to lose their jobs? Will the airline -- will the Transportation Security Administration decertify them? And they are worried about that. That question still to be answered -- Anderson.
COOPER: Just so we're absolutely clear about this, Patty. This decision is voluntary, so it's not necessarily going to affect all pilots?
DAVIS: Right. It's voluntary, and when Congress passed the legislation, what they did was they took out at the last minute cargo pilots, so cargo pilots are not going to be eligible to train to get guns.
There is a bill, though, by Congressmen John Mica of Florida. He is a key aviation member in the House, to restore that right to cargo pilots. Cargo pilots are mad that they were kept out of the bill, and they want -- they want to have that same right -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Patty Davis live at Reagan National. Thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
