Pilot Charged in Carry - On Gun Case

News from the A.P./The New York Times ^ | June 8, 2002 | The Associated press

[ladybast]

Filed at 2:59 p.m. ET

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- An American Airlines pilot faces misdemeanor charges for toting a loaded gun in his carry-on baggage while trying to board a plane at the San Diego airport.

William F. Blaylock told authorities he uses the gun for hunting and personal protection and had forgotten to remove it from his bag before heading to Lindbergh Field on April 23.

The weapon was detected during airport security screening.

On Friday, prosecutors filed two misdemeanor charges against Blaylock who, if convicted, faces up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. He has been free on bond since April 24 and will be arraigned next week.

The airline wouldn't comment.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

April 23rd and in Breaking News. Seems right.

[DWSUWF]

"...The airline wouldn't comment..."

Yet another good reason to drive (or get the wife and/or kid to drive) instead of flying.

Or, better yet, don't go at all, have a seat, turn on the game and fall asleep in the Barcalounger.

[basil]

It's hard to fanthom the stupidity of this.

[Lady Jag]

Please sign this Petition to Arm Airline Flight Crews:

FR post about it and the petition is here: Secure Skies

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Arm them? Don't they have arms? How do they fly?

Majority of signees are non-aviation related personnel, would be my guess.

[Lady Jag]

RBA, with your initials you should be ashamed of yourself for not knowing what "arming someone" means.

[TheDon]

Sorry Mr. Blaylock, don't ya know? Only criminals are allowed to bring firearms onto airplanes, not law abiding citizens.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

With a name like sciencediet, I bet you are hoping your distant cousin, War Emblem, wins today.

[Lady Jag]

Actually, I'm catching up with a Chandra thread but I can't say any more than that.

[RWG]

he uses the gun for hunting????

What kind of hunting weapon can you put in a carry on piece of luggage?

[J Jay]

Yet another good reason to drive (or get the wife and/or kid to drive) instead of flying.

Why?

Because the pilot couldn't get his gun onboard?

or

Because the pilot tried to get his gun onboard?

Seems to me you would be safer with an armed pilot and copilot.

[DWSUWF]

"...Why?..."

LOL!

Fair question.

Because the airlines are utterly unconcerned with passenger and crew safety. They won't insist on common-sense measures such as armed pilots (or at least a pilot's option of being armed) and are leaving this particular man to twist in the wind.

And for those wags who might reply that 'the airlines don't make the regs', please...

If the airlines wanted cockpit security, and were willing to ground their fleets until they had the green light to arm the pilots, the powers that be would fold faster than Superman on laundry day.

[Hot Tabasco]

William F. Blaylock told authorities he uses the gun for hunting and personal protection

Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I am attempting to hijack this California flight to Toledo. Any attempt to stop me will be met with lethal force. I have a gun!

[toddst]

Wonder if this pilot is a test case put forward by one of the pilot's associations? I find it hard to believe this man "forgot" the gun was there. Don't see what can be done to this man without making the regulations look pretty dumb.

[patriciaruth]

Majority of pilots are for being allowed to carry if they go through training by the FBI and become certified and use the recommended frangible bullets.

The petition started off with just the pilots signing, then their relatives and now the general public.

[rageaholic]

Abdel "One-Eye" Rachman supports a gun free cockpit!

[patriciaruth]

Link to article on interviews with Crew of Shoe-bomb Flight

[Eagle Eye]

What kind of hunting weapon can you put in a carry on piece of luggage?

You are kidding, right?

Taurus hunting handguns

BTW have you seen the 911 Road to Tyranny documentary by that guy you like, AJ? If not, you should.

[Darlin']

Ping :)