Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, America had to face a hard question: What happens if hijackers make another run at an airliner’s cockpit?

Reinforced cockpit doors became part of the answer. So did tighter airport screening, federal air marshals and a mountain of new security procedures. But Gun Owners of America pushed for one more layer of protection: Give properly trained pilots the ability to fight back.

In its video, “After 9/11, GOA Armed Pilots,” GOA looks back at its campaign to put firearms in the hands of volunteer flight crew members.

The proposal generated plenty of pushback. Critics worried about accidental discharges, damage to an aircraft, firearms falling into the wrong hands and pilots becoming distracted from their primary job of flying the airplane.

Supporters argued that a pilot facing a cockpit breach would already be dealing with a worst-case scenario. At that point, they said, relying on a reinforced door alone would not be enough. Once attackers got inside, the pilots would need a serious way to stop them.

GOA worked alongside pilots and other supporters to make that case in Washington. The Bush administration initially opposed arming pilots, but Congress eventually moved forward.

From Campaign to Federal Program

The effort led to the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, created through the Arming Pilots Against Terrorism Act contained in the Homeland Security Act of 2002.

Under the program, eligible flight crew members may volunteer for federal screening and specialized training. Those who qualify are deputized as federal law enforcement officers and authorized to carry firearms for one narrow purpose: protecting the flight deck from criminal violence or air piracy.

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This was never a plan to hand every airline pilot a pistol and wish them luck. Participation is voluntary, and applicants must pass background checks, complete training and follow federal rules governing how the firearm is carried, stored and used.

The first prototype training class took place in April 2003, with full implementation beginning that July, according to a Congressional Research Service report. Congress later expanded eligibility to include flight engineers and crews aboard cargo aircraft.

That last part mattered. A cargo plane may not have hundreds of passengers onboard, but it is still a large aircraft that could potentially be hijacked and turned into a weapon.

Did It Actually Work?

That depends on how you measure success.

If the goal was to turn the idea of armed pilots into federal policy, GOA can clearly claim a win. The organization pushed a controversial proposal through heavy political and bureaucratic resistance, and the resulting program has remained part of America’s layered aviation-security system for more than two decades.

Measuring its real-world security effect is harder.

There is no public scoreboard showing how many hijackings armed pilots prevented. A deterrent usually does its job quietly, and many operational details surrounding the program are understandably kept out of public view.

It would also be a stretch to give armed pilots all the credit for the absence of another 9/11-style attack. Reinforced cockpit doors, improved passenger screening, intelligence work, air marshals and a completely different attitude among passengers all play a role.

The program has also faced practical complaints. Pilots have raised concerns over lengthy screening, limited training locations and the burden of completing training and requalification during their own time. Those hurdles may keep some otherwise qualified volunteers from participating.

Still, the basic argument behind the program remains straightforward. If every other layer of security fails and somebody reaches the cockpit, a trained and armed pilot gives the flight crew one final option.

That brings us back to the big question.

More than two decades later, was GOA’s campaign to arm pilots a clear success? Does the continued existence of the Federal Flight Deck Officer program prove the idea worked, or is there simply too little public information to judge its effectiveness?

Watch GOA’s video, consider the record and tell us what you think.

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