Today CNN’s investigative correspondent, Drew Griffen reported on the unsafe holster padlock procedures that I believe caused the accidental discharge of a pilot’s weapon on that UA Airways flight late last month.Here again I demonstrate just how the the TSA turned a safe and reliable defensive weapon into a deadly booby-trap.
Comments
1. The FFDO weapons issued DON’T have the external safety lever found on similar HK pistols.
2. No law enforcement agencies in the world require officers to secure LOADED firearms with a padlock across the trigger.
3. It’s nearly impossible to read the tiny numbers on the padlock without turning the LOADED gun in an UNSAFE direction in the cockpit of an airplane.
4. Keeping a live round in the chambers of this double action pistol is mandated by the TSA. Racking rounds during an assault is a bad idea because it wastes valuable time, giving an attacker an advantage and in darkness the sound gives away your position. Save racking rounds for movie and TV directors that think that’s cool.
The way to end the danger is a simple two fold program:
End the repetitive and unsafe locking/unlocking of the loaded guns.
Have the FFDOs simply place the gun in a holster as they leave their hotel or homes and never handle the firearm other than on a firing range or during an emergency for which the FFDO program was created.
A good pancake holster hugging the body will keep the weapon secure to their person. It probably won't even get in the way while they fly the plane.
You're correct on this 100% Paul. But you're dealing with TSA assholes who don't want guns allowed in the first place. They would rather a planeload of people crashed than see a pilot save the day. People like that pollute the gene pool. It will probably take congressional intervention to stop those TSA Nazi's.