Stretch,
Could you (maybe you can't) comment on the article at Gun Accident In U.S. Airways Airliner Cockpit Was TSA Engineered Gives cocked and locked a new meaning. . .

That was my entire thought when I read the article.

Someone simply did not know or think about what they were doing.

I don't think that's funny at all.

"...I don't want some guy looking at my wife..."

From what I have seen, those "x-ray" looking images are far from a Playboy centerfold view. If some guy/gal gets turned on by them, they need to get a real life. I'd much rather have them get their little kicks than have a badguy get on the plane carrying a non-metalic knife or something...

Pilot was trying to stow gun that fired Consistent with what we now know about the holster-lock "system" that's been mandated by TSA.

If a pistol was stored with that kind of lock on it, how did it fire?

I'm sure details will be forthcoming. My question is why does TSA mandate that holster/lock "system" and unnecessary gun handling in the flight station? IMO you can lay this one on the TSA.

I couldn't say, Russ, but I can say that's one of the stupidest things I ever saw (not THE stupidest thing, of course)

.....it makes me want to talk (rant) politics......... (ooops. scratch that word! scratch that word!!!!)

With a holster like that where one has to thread a lock through it, it's no wonder that an AD occured.

Better still, let's say you're a terrorist. You now know that pilots are locking their weapons at certain points. "Wow, this is great," the terrorists are saying, "now we know when to strike."

If you're going to trust a man's judgement when he's carrying a loaded firearm on a plane, why would you not trust his judgement when getting on and off the plane? Completely assinine.

Well, it sounds dumb and really it is. BUT, in arming the airlines pilots, it was never the goal that they would be the ones defending the airliner and passengers, beyond the cockpit. That's the key. Those firearms are to be used IF the cockpit door is breached.

From the cockpit back is the responsibility of TSA or other Federal agents traveling on the plane. Any Federal agent flying armed has received training on what to do in the event of a highjacking. Not on how to use their firearm (that's done elsewhere), but how to protect the cockpit.

So, while I still think it's somewhat silly to lock firearms (almost ANYTIME, almost ANYWHERE), there is some madness to their method (AD's notwithstanding) ((( )))