{
  "id": "RL31674",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL31674",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 101460,
      "date": "2004-01-09",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-08T14:30:39.910544",
      "title": "Arming Pilots Against Terrorism: Implementation Issues for the Federal Flight Deck Officer Program",
      "summary": "The Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( P.L. 107-296 , 116 Stat. 2135) contains provisions\nto arm pilots of passenger aircraft and gives deputized pilots the authority to use force, including\nlethal force, to defend the flight deck against criminal and terrorist threats. Participation in the\nFederal Flight Deck Officer Program, established under the Arming Pilots Against Terrorism Act\ncontained in  P.L. 107-296 , was initially limited to pilots of passenger aircraft. However, a provision\nin the FAA reauthorization act (Vision 100;  P.L. 108-176 , 117 Stat. 2490) expanded the program\nto include flight engineers as well as flight crews of all-cargo aircraft.\n  During debate over legislation to arm pilots, proponents argued that the potential benefits of\ndeterring or thwarting terrorist and criminal acts against passenger aircraft outweighed the inherent\nrisks associated with arming pilots. However, opponents of policy allowing pilots to be armed with\nlethal weapons argued that such a program's safety risks and monetary costs significantly\noutweighed these potential benefits. Risks cited included potential distraction to the flight crew,\ndangers that a weapon discharge could pose to the aircraft or its occupants, and security concerns\nassociated with carrying firearms in secured areas of the aviation system. Proponents countered that\nthese risks could be effectively mitigated, but recognized that these are important issues to be\naddressed for successful implementation of the policy to arm pilots.\n  With enactment of this legislation, focus on the issue of arming pilots has turned to\nimplementation of the Federal Flight Deck Officer Program. These implementation issues fall into\nfour broad categories: 1) pilot selection and screening; 2) equipment (i.e., firearms and ammunition\nand the risks they may pose to aircraft and passengers); 3) training; and 4) operational procedures. \nThis report describes several implementation issues within each of these areas that may require\ncontinued legislative oversight and possible clarification regarding the intent of the legislation. The\nTSA has fully implemented the program over the last year. However, continued concerns voiced by\npilot groups over the implementation of the program include: the extensive background checks\nrequired of applicants; the requirement to transport issued firearms in lock boxes; and the\ninconvenient location of training facilities. These issues, along with the possibility of using private\ncontractors to provide recurrent training for deputized pilots may be the topics of continued\ncongressional oversight.\n  This report will not be updated.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
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          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL31674",
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          "filename": "files/20040109_RL31674_729fc468e893477d31797b36a584b265f53a03fd.html",
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          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL31674",
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          "filename": "files/20040109_RL31674_7843a6ab69c39a85d33622d388603203d9a35aa4.pdf",
          "images": null
        }
      ],
      "topics": []
    },
    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs5616/",
      "id": "RL31674 2003-03-25",
      "date": "2003-03-25",
      "retrieved": "2005-06-12T13:44:58",
      "title": "Arming Pilots Against Terrorism: Implementation Issues for the Federal Flight Deck Officer Program",
      "summary": "The report discusses the issues regarding the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135), which contains provisions to arm pilots of passenger aircraft and gives deputized pilots the authority to use force, including lethal force, to defend the flight deck against criminal and terrorist threats.  The report includes the legislative Background, implementation issues, equipment, training, operational procedures and costs.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORT",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "filename": "files/20030325_RL31674_ebec224616cdffa786bd68e23fa13761c5e86636.pdf"
        },
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/20030325_RL31674_ebec224616cdffa786bd68e23fa13761c5e86636.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Transportation",
          "name": "Transportation"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Aircraft pilots",
          "name": "Aircraft pilots"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Counterterrorism",
          "name": "Counterterrorism"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Commercial aircraft - Security measures - Law and legislation",
          "name": "Commercial aircraft - Security measures - Law and legislation"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Defense policy",
          "name": "Defense policy"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Intelligence and National Security"
  ]
}