Letter: Airline pilots must be allowed to carry guns

Wednesday, June 12, 2002 | 9:12 a.m.

Regarding the decision by Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, and his security assistant, John Magaw, to forbid airline pilots to carry handguns on flights:

They ignore the fact that almost all of these pilots learned how to fly at Air Force and Navy flight schools, where they also received weapons training. The deterrent factor would be enormous for a hijacker -- as he is being screened before entering the plane -- to know that both pilots are armed.

These are dangerous times we live in. It's not the time for so-called leaders to take the safe, rather than the sensible, approach. Practically speaking, in a hijacking attempt, it would be better for a few passengers to be shot rather than lose everyone on board.

RICHARD J. MUNDY

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