TSA finds average of 4 guns each day at airports

[S&W645]

Mace? And how does that go against my assertation that the hijackers weren't armed with any sort of serious weapon that would prevent them from being beaten to a pulp? Seems to me that the mace would affect the BGs as much as it would the GGs. Do you think the flight crew would ever give up the cockpit in a similar situation if it happened today?? No, they wouldn't....and that would leave the BGs at the mercy of a couple of hundred angry passengers who certainly aren't about to just sit on their butts, mace or no mace.

While it might be harder to get things on planes today, it doesn't mean with planning, that it can't be done. There is the fact that sprays don't always affect the person doing the spraying the same as those being sprayed. Contents under pressure right at the nozzle do not react the same as when exposed to air over a distance. Passengers aren't going to be prepared for the chemicals while the hijackers were. By the time the passengers get organised, the hijackers could be in control of the plane. Cockpit crews do have better doors now and they do have the cockpit guns in many cases for added defense. http://www.tsa.gov/lawenforcement/programs/ffdo.shtm

[B2Tall]

While it might be harder to get things on planes today, it doesn't mean with planning, that it can't be done. There is the fact that sprays don't always affect the person doing the spraying the same as those being sprayed. Contents under pressure right at the nozzle do not react the same as when exposed to air over a distance. Passengers aren't going to be prepared for the chemicals while the hijackers were. By the time the passengers get organised, the hijackers could be in control of the plane. Cockpit crews do have better doors now and they do have the cockpit guns in many cases for added defense. TSA: Federal Flight Deck Officers

So the passengers would be too maced to effectively fight back with fists, etc. but you'd think they'd still be able to use firearms?? Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't mace make it very difficult to see clearly?? Even w/o mace an armed passenger would have a tremendous amount of pressure on them (pounding heartbeat, adrenaline, screaming passengers, a target that also has a gun, etc.) but now you'd want them shooting a pistol??

You said the passengers would take too long to get organized, well.....how are they going to get organized when their opponents are armed with guns too?? Guns that the very policies you're advocating have allowed the BGs to board the plane with?? Do you think several hijackers with guns are going to stand around while you and others discuss strategy?? They won't even let you talk! It's a lot easier to use guns to control a plane full of people than it is using shanks. It doesn't take much to organize a one-sided fistfight in a narrow tube, especially when you outnumber the BGs 50:1 and they're armed with nothing more than office supplies.

You talk about the hijackers finding a way to sneak stuff on the plane, yet under your plan they wouldn't even need to be sneaky! They could simply walk right on the plane with pistols! Who needs mace!

Lastly, how is somebody armed with boxcutters and mace going to force their way through the reinforced cockpit door? Do you really think a pilot will ever give up their plane again to someone so-armed?? I'd say it's a pretty good bet that after the events of 9/11 no pilot will ever give up their plane unless it's over their dead body......and that's not real easy to do armed with a penknife while a whole bunch of pissed off people are bearing down on you (the hijackers) with the intent to beat you into a pile of human jello.

[depps74]

I believe that you should become very familiar with your firearm but always remember where it is. Otherwise it's pointless to have it.