US Airways Express Pilot Arrested with Loaded Firearm in the Sterile Area

[N965VJ]

Police nab airline pilot with loaded gun in luggage

5-18-12

BUFFALO, New York (Reuters) - An airline pilot was arrested Friday morning at Buffalo Niagara International Airport after security screeners discovered a loaded revolver in his baggage.

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"The defendant did not submit this bag to X-ray screening at the Charlottesville airport," the federal indictment states.
Deiter, and the gun, traveled on "several other flights" over a two-day period, prosecutors allege.

Everyone should be subjected to the same common-sense screening. X-ray of belongings, walk through / hand held metal detector, Explosive Trace Detection / Explosive Trace Portal. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[gabby]

Before you jump to conclusions there could be an explanation for this. As a express pilot I have to follow the directions of the company. Without going into details......
Could someone have planted the weapon in his bag? Absolutely.

 

[gizmo_sc]

gabby thanks for your post. So many posters on here sure jump to conclusions. If you read the article this person was 52 YO and probably a long time pilot for Piedmont. Unless he was nuts there had to be a good reason that loaded pistol was in his bag. He is going to have to go thru a lot of S _ _ T, during the investigation process that is for sure.

 

[robbedagain]

good luck to him i bet its a safebt his career is over

 

[mike33]

good luck to him i bet its a safebt his career is over

If the gun was reg to hjim he has a problem...is not....its a lot go explaining and back tracking with who he encountered in the last few days

 

[mike33]

gabby thanks for your post. So many posters on here sure jump to conclusions. If you read the article this person was 52 YO and probably a long time pilot for Piedmont. Unless he was nuts there had to be a good reason that loaded pistol was in his bag. He is going to have to go thru a lot of S _ _ T, during the investigation process that is for sure.

"U.S. airline pilots who receive special training may carry guns in the cockpit but are not allowed to have them elsewhere in the plane or in airport terminals. The program began some 10 years ago following the September 11, 2001 aircraft hijacking attacks.

How do you get a gun in the fly deck with out first going thru the terminal? Maybe a charter that orig out of a remote and then arr at a terminal?.....Hmmm!

 

[BoeingBoy]

Those with the credentials to carry a weapon are allowed to do so. But there is a procedure to follow at the TSA checkpoint. Apparently this pilot didn't follow the procedure and went through normal screening like any passenger, indicating that he probably didn't have authorization to carry a weapon. Even if he had a mental lapse, it would have been cleared up at the checkpoint and he wouldn't have been arrested.

Jim

 

[nevergiveup]

Those with the credentials to carry a weapon are allowed to do so. But there is a procedure to follow at the TSA checkpoint. Apparently this pilot didn't follow the procedure and went through normal screening like any passenger, indicating that he probably didn't have authorization to carry a weapon. Even if he had a mental lapse, it would have been cleared up at the checkpoint and he wouldn't have been arrested.

Jim

We all know that the procedures vary at different airports. Charlottesville might allow pilots based there to bypass screening.

 

[Graceson]

We all know that the procedures vary at different airports. Charlottesville might allow pilots based there to bypass screening.

Yes -- for pilots not packing.

No -- for pilots packing. There's a SOP for that.

 

[BoeingBoy]

I can't claim to have traveled through every airport, but in my experience the procedure is the same everywhere I've been. If the gun was found during screening it should be obvious that this pilot wasn't bypassing security...

Jim

 

[signals]

This would have nothing to do with that eastie pilot who put a hole in the cockpit, would it?

 

[BoeingBoy]

It shouldn't unless it's the same guy and he lost his ability to carry a weapon on board (and was fired from mainline for shooting the plane but got a job at PDT).

Jim

 

[nevergiveup]

I can't claim to have traveled through every airport, but in my experience the procedure is the same everywhere I've been. If the gun was found during screening it should be obvious that this pilot wasn't bypassing security...

Jim

For security reasons I will not go into details, but there are some differences.

 

[nevergiveup]

This would have nothing to do with that eastie pilot who put a hole in the cockpit, would it?

I hear Southwest had a accidental discharge as well. Back in the 60s and 70s, carrying a gun was quite common among flight crews. Just ask the dead hijacker!

 

[BoeingBoy]

For security reasons I will not go into details, but there are some differences.

One of which is to use the normal security screening line, let the TSA discover a gun in your bag and get arrested? I was born at night but not last night...

The guy screwed up, whether or not he was properly credentialed to have the gun. Being arrested makes me think that he wasn't.

Jim