Arms for airline pilots? In the quest to keep air travel safe, lawmakers are considering allowing pilots to carry guns. Will armed cockpits boost security?

• Author: Young, Don
• Position: Opinion

YES The events of Sept. 11 have dramatically changed how we must defend our planes and passengers. It is now conceivable that our own Air Force would be ordered to shoot down a plane full of innocent passengers due to a terrorist takeover.

Under these new circumstances, we must allow trained and qualified pilots to serve as the last line of defense against such a potential disaster. I have introduced legislation that will allow pilots to carry guns to defend the cockpit of an aircraft. Different versions of this bill were overwhelmingly approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate, and now await reconciliation.

Some argue that measures such as beefed-up airport security, screening all checked bags, and federal air marshals aboard some flights will stop future disasters. These changes are important, but they are not foolproof. We must do more.

Our pilots are already entrusted with the lives of every passenger on the plane. Many of them have backgrounds in the military and have some experience with firearms. The major pilots organizations stand united with us on this issue.

To participate in this program, a pilot would have to undergo a background check and then extensive training. With two pilots on every flight, having one pilot protect the cockpit with a gun would not interfere with safe flying.

Furthermore, pilots would not leave the cockpit with their guns; they would use the guns only to prevent hijackers from entering the cockpit.

The alternative, should hijackers take control of the plane, might be for the Air Force to shoot it down. Plane manufacturers believe that commercial planes are strong enough to withstand damage from several bullets in the event of a midair tussle.

On Sept. 11, 246 people aboard four planes, including eight unarmed pilots, were among the thousands killed by terrorist hijackers. Today, F-16s stand ready to stop this from ever happening again. But wouldn't it be better to give pilots what they need to be the last line of defense in the event of another terrorist hijacking?

--REP. DON YOUNG (R-Alaska)

NO We strongly oppose guns of any kind in the cockpits of our nation s passenger planes.

Giving the task of defending an airliner to a pilot, who is already busy flying the plane, is potentially disastrous. Consider first of all that these weapons would be potentially...