Rand Paul wants all pilots armed

[Cyrano]

What a fucking idiot. I guess a shootout at 30,000 feet would ensure the safety of everyone aboard.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/10/rand-paul-guns-pilots_n_5125967.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl6%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D463526

[CreekDog]

1. every pilot i've seen has arms

[shanemcg]

2. Meh

He IS the pilot. I'm pretty sure no professional pilot would turn into a wild west gunslinger and put his passengers in danger needlessly.

Also, he could just fly the plane into the ground if he wanted to kill everyone. He doesn't need a gun.

So again, I vote....meh!

[liberal N proud]

3. Let's think about this for a minute

Two people sitting with their backs to the door in tight spaces, concentrating on making sure the large object they are riding on at 200+ mph is staying in the air with guns.

Now picture the would-be terrorist (domestic or otherwise) knows these guys have guns, and also knows that their backs are to the door and mobility in a cockpit is limited.

What do we think is going to happen here?

On edit, Has anyone seen what happens when a hole is created in the fuselage of a pressurized vessel?

[SevenSixtyTwo]

4. Aren't sky marshals

Armed? Many commercial airline pilots are ex military. I don't think it's such a bad idea if the pilot is qualified.

[malaise]

5. He should consider himself lucky that the pilot in charge of the aircraft

from which his drunken 19 year old son was arrested was unarmed.

http://www.thewire.com/national/2013/01/evidently-rand-pauls-son-assaulted-flight-attendant-while-drunk/60993/
<snip>
New details have emerged about William Hilton Paul's very fun flight to Charlotte last week, a voyage that ended with the 19-year-old in the slammer and his senator father in a very embarrassing position. Well, things just got worse for both Kentucky gentlemen. In addition to underage drinking, disorderly conduct and being intoxicated and disruptive, it's now been disclosed that Paul the younger faces "a misdemeanor assault on a female by aggressive physical force," The Charlotte Observer reports. The police's narrative about the college student possibly being served alcohol on the plane stands. Who knows why he turned around and assaulted one of the flight attendants. (Maybe he wanted more booze?) It's also unclear why the assault charge wasn't disclosed sooner.

[Blue Owl]

6. He's been watching "Airport '79" too many times

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[sorefeet]

7. Maybe the two pilots on the malasian

jet did have guns. No cell phone calls?