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No guns for pilots, Bush aide advises
By BILL ADAIR, Times Staff Writer WASHINGTON -- Pilots don't need guns in the cockpit, the Bush administration said Tuesday. "It's clear in my mind that, when we weigh all the pros and cons, pilots should not carry firearms," John Magaw, the head of the Transportation Security Administration, said at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing. Magaw said the guns were not needed because cockpit doors have been fortified and pilots have been directed to land planes immediately if there is a hijacking attempt. "Pilots need to concentrate on flying the plane," Magaw said. "My feeling is you secure the cockpit, and if something does happen on that plane, they really have to be in control of the aircraft." The agency is still considering whether to allow pilots to carry "less than lethal" weapons such as stun guns, Magaw said. His announcement sets the stage for Congress to decide the issue. There is growing support for a bill allowing pilots to carry firearms, but it's unclear whether advocates have enough votes to win. The House aviation subcommittee is scheduled to vote on the bill Thursday. When the panel held a hearing two weeks ago, virtually all the Republicans and many Democrats said they supported the bill. But now that the Bush administration is opposed, it's unclear whether some Republicans will still endorse the bill. The prospects before the full transportation committee and on the House floor are also uncertain. But the Republican sponsors of the bill say their chances are improving because they have picked up Democratic support. Rep. John Mica, the Winter Park Republican who heads the aviation subcommittee, said pilots need to be armed because there are gaps in the screening of passengers and the government does not have enough air marshals for all flights. "We think it is absolutely essential to have this last line of defense," Mica said. The House bill allows pilots to carry firearms if they pass a background check and go through a federal training program similar to the one used for air marshals. The bill authorizes the pilots to use deadly force to defend their plane. Publicly, the nation's airlines have said little about the proposal, but they have quietly opposed it because of the possibility the guns could be misused to shoot innocent passengers and crew members. Duane Woerth, an Indian Rocks Beach resident who is president of the Air Line Pilots Association, said the Bush administration's decision was heavily influenced by the airlines. He said the bill addresses many of the opponents' complaints because it requires federal training before pilots would be allowed to carry guns. He said the guns would save lives because they could prevent the need for more drastic action by U.S. fighter planes. "The government already has told us that if terrorists take control of one of our cockpits, they will send military aircraft to shoot down the airliner and all its crew and passengers," Woerth said. "In the face of such choices, we do not understand why these same government officials refuse to give pilots a last chance to prevent such a tragedy." In other matters Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta warned the committee that passengers could face long lines at airports this summer if his agency did not get all the money it had requested for security. "The truth is we cannot afford less than the $4.4-billion proposed by the administration," Mineta said. That struck a chord with senators on the panel who, like all members of Congress, are frequent fliers. They promised to help. Mineta also provided new details about the warning the Federal Aviation Administration received before the Sept. 11 attacks concerning Zacarias Moussaoui, who was arrested after he began taking lessons in how to fly a commercial jet. Mineta said the cable received Sept. 5 from the FBI indicated that Moussaoui was the only suspect and was in custody. It contained no specifics about a future attack. "The cable said the only pilot training he wanted was to take off and land," Mineta said. "The FAA decided the threat was general and that (the agency) should wait for further information." That didn't satisfy Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. She said that cable and others that mentioned Osama bin Laden and possible hijackings should have prompted the FAA to be better prepared. She said, "You could have put out some warnings." -- Bill Adair can be reached at (202) 463-0575 or adair@sptimes.com.
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From the Times wire desk
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