Tragic Events on September 11, 2001

There are many reasons why pilots would want to carry guns on a plane. Out of the reasons, Safety is the main issue, or just the feeling of feeling safe especially after what happened on 9/11. (Fraher 2-3) Today research shows that high levels of tension, anxiety and stress in someone's life could lead anyone to feel lonely, and hopeless. Emotions like these can make anyone feel out of control and for some respond with anger or destruction. To counter attack such emotions something simple as, control, could save someone's life. For example: "feeling in control of your life, having security and sense of worth could counter the bad emotions and make anyone feel happy instead of sad and determined instead of useless which could lead to a better job in the air for pilots."(Fraher)

It could be said that the airline changed forever after the tragic events on September 11, 2001. The Government and the aviation industry leaders rushed to support the legislation to try and helped calm the American public down and strengthen confidence in the safety of flying. A blueprint for a new and stronger federal security system, today known as the Homeland Security Bill, was signed into law on November 26, 2002 by President George Bush. This bill authorized the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security, which part of the Homeland Security Bill was the, "Arming Pilots against Terrorism Act". After the September 11 attacks, commercial airline pilots were allowed to carry guns if they completed a federal-safety program. It was said that: "No longer would unarmed pilots be defenseless as remorseless hijackers seized control of aircraft and rammed them into buildings." (airlinepilotforums) "Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) Program was established and authorized which and earmarked $8 million for the deputizing of pilot volunteers from US air carriers, training them to defend the flight deck of their aircraft with a handgun against 'acts of criminal violence or air piracy.'" (whitehouse) this program was endorsed noting:

"The events of 9/11 have dramatically changed how we must defend our

Planes and passengers. We now face a possible situation where the

Department of Defense may be forced to make the difficult decision of

having our own Air Force shoot down a plane full of innocent

passengers due to a terrorist takeover. I strongly believe that under

these new circumstances, we must allow trained and qualified pilots to

serve as the last line of defense against such a potential

disaster."

(whitehouse)

As we know today that moment a passenger puts foot on a plane, she/he are ultimately in the hands of the pilot. If a passenger trusts a pilot not to crash they should also feel comfortable knowing the pilot is carrying a gun for protection of himself and his passengers. The most important thing for passengers is feeling safe, and if they do they are more willing to continue flying because of that feeling. "Wouldn't it be better if the pilot could defend his plane by the use of a gun instead of hand-to-hand combat against 'hijackers' while at the same time trying to control an 850,000pd aircraft with passengers?"(Max) Let's face some reality; after long check in lines, late arriving aircraft, delays, gate changes, and passengers being touched all over; passengers tend to feel stressed out and anxious, but knowing that the pilot is carrying a gun and that hijacking is less of an issue, the passengers tend to feel less stressed over their flight. (Fraher 7)

Many may argue that there are also many reasons why