Copyright 2002 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution  

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
July 26, 2002 Friday Home Edition
SECTION: News; Pg. 3B

LENGTH: 553 words

HEADLINE: Senator fights effort to arm airline pilots

BYLINE: EUNICE MOSCOSO

SOURCE: Cox Washington Bureau

BODY:
Washington --- The nation's largest airline pilots union urged lawmakers Thursday to allow pilots to carry guns in cockpits, but a leading senator was not convinced.

Sen. Ernest Hollings, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, said safety efforts should focus on sealing cockpits, not arming pilots.

"I want to close the door and lock it for the entire flight," Hollings said at a committee hearing. "Once that's fixed . . . we've solved the problem of guns in the cockpit."

But other senators argued that changing cockpit doors could take years and millions of dollars. Arming pilots is a faster, more realistic solution to terrorist threats, they said.

Hollings, a South Carolina Democrat, reiterated his opposition to a bill that would allow airline pilots to become deputized law enforcement officers.

Despite his stance, the measure is gaining momentum in the Senate, with support from the National Rifle Association and pilots unions, which are lobbying heavily for the bill.

"Our pilots should be provided the resources that they need to defend themselves against terrorists," said Stephen Luckey, who chairs a security committee of the Air Line Pilots Association, which represents more than 67,000 pilots.

"While we strongly support the installation of a new, hardened flight deck door . . . we should not fool ourselves into thinking that they are sufficient to protect the flight crew under all circumstances," he added.

In addition, Luckey said arming pilots would deter hijackings and help restore public confidence.

Earlier this month, the House voted overwhelmingly to allow thousands of airline pilots to carry guns.

In addition, Secretary Norman Mineta said Tuesday that the Department of Transportation is re-examining its opposition to arming pilots

Sen. Bob Smith (R-N.H.), a strong proponent of the Senate bill, told the panel that arming pilots will provide a much needed layer of protection for the crew and passengers.

"An armed pilot is the last line of defense before an F-16 or other military aircraft shoots down a hijacked aircraft full of innocent civilians," he said.

Mineta said that the cost of a large-scale program to arm pilots could be too high --- in the range of $860 million to set up and $250 million a year for recurrent training.

"No one, from what I see, has really talked about the costs," he said.

Mineta also said Congress has stripped too much money out of the airline security budget this year, endangering DOT's ability to meet security deadlines, including a Dec. 31 deadline for screening all bags for explosives.

"Congress has given us a strict and inflexible mandate and insufficient funds to meet it," he said.

Hollings said he was "a little dismayed" that Mineta complained about lack of money when the White House Office of Management and Budget has asked lawmakers to strip millions in funding for DOT's Transportation Security Administration.

Hollings also said that the TSA has been "grossly inadequate" and is "way behind the curve" in implementing security measures.

"If you justify a request, we'll give it to you," he told Mineta.
 
* ON THE WEB: Transportation Security Administration: www.tsa.gov

Senate Commerce Committee: commerce.senate.gov

Air Line Pilots Association: www.alpa.org

GRAPHIC: Photo: Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.) prefers sealed cockpit doors to armed pilots.; Photo: Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta says a large-scale program to arm pilots would probably cost $860 million to set up and $250 million a year for training. / RICK McKAY / Cox Washington Bureau

LOAD-DATE: July 26, 2002