Last month a pilot He was accused of threatening the captain with a gun if he diverted a flight because a passenger needed medical attention. The fact has sparked a debate about it and many have wondered if the pilots in USA They are free to carry weapons or not.
A jury in Utah indicted pilot Jonathan J. Dunn on October 18 for intervening in the conduct of a flight on August 22. The man is accused of assaulting and intimidating a crew member.
Although no further details were given about the type of weapon that he carried, the pilot He pointed out, according to media such as The New York Times, who was authorized to carry a weapon of fire on board. The problem was that he used it to threaten the captain.
According to information from the Department of Transportation of USAafter a disagreement over a possible flight diversion due to a medical issue with a passenger, Dunn told the captain that he would shoot them several times if they left the road. Now the man can face up to life in prison for using a weapon dangerous to intimidate pilot. But can the pilots carry weapons During flight?
Yes, there are pilots who can carry and use weapons on airplanes
According to the Transportation and Security Administration of USA, There is an Armed Security Officers program in the air aimed at providing training to pilots on approved flights that can carry a weapon and act in case of an emergency.
Dun was precisely part of the Federal Flight Deck Officer who provides authorization to crew members to carry weapons of fire, but this can only be used to defend oneself against an act of criminal violence or theft of an airplane.
Individuals eligible for this program must be volunteers and include pilotsflight engineers with a current certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in addition to a class 1 or 2 medical certificate and US citizenship.
Trained pilots can carry weapons.
According to authorities, armed officers on flights are not authorized to exercise other law enforcement powers, such as making arrests, searching passengers or collecting evidence. It should also be noted that for passengers and flight crew members who do not have authorization, boarding an aircraft with a firearm is a federal crime.
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