You're watching...

How safe are the friendly skies?

Details

  • Description

    Former air marshal speaks out

  • Duration 4:00
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Editor's Picks

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Fox -- -- live pictures right now Philadelphia International Airport where 29 year old man from Dallas Pennsylvania now under arrest.

Accused of trying to board a plane this morning bound for San Francisco with a bottle full of explosives.

This just a day after a jetBlue pilot when dessert mid flight so.

Should pilots be able to carry guns in the cockpit that's our question today here for fair and balanced debate its former TSA federal air Marshal.

And captain Roberts -- is a commercial airline captain good morning to both of you.

Good morning good morning I'm and it -- each -- you couple seconds to defend what you believe should be happening in the cockpit with pilots.

And guns so Bob let me start with you should they be able to have guns.

Yes but not in the form and that they have the program and now why the pilots carrying handguns on the side of their hip.

Is is dangerous.

And it's a huge waste of taxpayer money.

I do you believe that every flight deck should have a modified shotgun.

Inside of it and you won't have to you.

Train and issue pilots.

Federal firearms every single one of them.

Every flight deck should have a modified shotgun OK with modified ammunition -- so.

-- -- -- blow velocity and low -- Santa to get back to exactly what that means in a moment but I wanna give captain Roberts -- a chance to say.

Why he thinks otherwise.

Just first of all let me express my deep regrets and condolences to the captain in this family for this extremely unusual and very unfortunate incident.

I'd also like to commend the crew that took very.

A quick thinking and firm action to bring us situation to a successful conclusion.

We believe the pilots.

Under the -- video program are providing an extremely effective deterrent to acts of air piracy and terrorism.

As outlined in the -- and counts against terrorism act and that this program should actually be enhanced not diminished by the current budget proposal.

Okay in light of what happened with this jetBlue pilot a -- you were sand.

-- how aware that captain would have been armed with what potentially could it happen it may not have been a good scenario.

Bob explain to me about your modified idea if there's a gun somewhere in the cockpit is and it's isn't still unsafe with regard to what we saw the other day.

-- pilots right now are issued a forty caliber.

Pistol.

And have to shoot that down range.

That forty caliber round will go all the way to the back of the aircraft.

And committed and committed hit innocent passengers.

-- modified shotgun.

With low mass low velocity pellets.

Will stop and injured trying to break into the flight deck.

It's very simple you -- you -- around.

Aim aim at somebody trying to break into the flight deck and the pellets will blow a hole in the somebody and stop.

That threat and if there is a -- Of the palace is harmlessly go down the -- Robert a captain Robert why would you be against that and as the incident that happened the other day make it more difficult for you now to make your case that all pilots should be -- Absolutely not the federal flight deck officers are highly screened and highly trained professionals minimum served previously in the military.

-- top secret clearances and conduct their business and her professional manner every day thousands of time today.

Some of the problems I see worth mister -- is proposal -- where is this I'm gonna be store where's -- gonna be stored.

And secured.

During flight crew changes overnight.

How are you gonna train these pilots on this weapon.

You know if you're allowing everybody to.

Be trained right now only the -- who volunteer for the program and go through the spring training are qualified to serve in this past.

So so many questions and and now it's coming to the forefront with what happened the other day.

Bob McClain captain Roberts Brock we appreciate your time -- morning thanks so much.