Airport security: Should I have been allowed to board with this?

I never got the nail clipper thing. What threat is that? I think if I were to attack someone and my choice of weapons was limited to nail clippers or a ball-point pen. I'd go with the pen. They say it is mightier than the sword.

 

They think there is a threat of people taking the nail clippers apart an fashioning it into a weapon.

 

Redundant is good and has been the practice as you say. Training on the part of the pilots and awareness by passengers are other parts. In digging up the Crossair incident, the apparent contributing factor was that an SMS text message to one passenger and a cellphone call to another passenger occurred during the first two minutes after takeoff. For whatever reason, the airplane configuration had increased susceptibility to RF emissions. The pilots were apparently overloaded during takeoff into IMC when their nav and instrument cross-checks didn't agree and crashed. As you know, since you're a pilot, recovery from instrument failure is a part of pilot training, but it also creates a high risk situation when it happens. Hence the radio and other electronic device restriction below 10,000' is a very good thing - if only passengers consistently respected it.

 

Here's a question. If you were on a future terrorist flight like that one in Pennsylvania, what makeshift weapons would you have to hand to fight off a terrorist team attempting to storm the cockpit?

I've thought that a seat cushion as a shield and a belt with a heavy buckle as a "whip" would be one option.

 

Yeah, I was watching mythbusters (actually just flipped to it when they announced the myth's validity), and they said that it is a one in a million chance a cellphone could interfere with an airplane's systems. But there is a chance, a small one, that some kind of new untested cell phone could interfere, and the FAA decided to just ban all cell phones outright. I don't get service at 35,000 ft over Greenland anyway though

 

I always note where the scalding hot pot of freshly-brewed columbian is-- just in case..

 

I bring along my own inflatable Gentry look alike for occasions like this. Scares the living **** out of them everytime!!!
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Actually the myth that was busted was: "airlines forbid cell phone use in order to make passengers use the on-board seat phones that make them money". Despite the support for cell phone interference, I could write a full page on the number of errors in that piece. Suffice to say, watch Mythbusters for entertainment, not for accuracy.

 

Last time I was called for jury duty in Boston, they made me turn in my key fob -- a miniature replica of a swiss army knife, containing teeny little (hangnail) scissors and a nail file.

I asked them if they were afraid I'd threaten to file the lawyers' briefs.


One guy was trying to find "acceptable" plastic knitting needles for his grandma for a flight. The airlines wouldn't accept any kind.

I guess they were afraid she'd knit an Afghan.


"Today, we're going to learn how to defend your aircraft against an attacker armed with a banana ..."
(Release the 50 tonne weight)

 

lol oh man

 

That's easy, I have a 16lb or so HARD aluminum shelled laptop case. That'd leave a hell of a mark in a skull.

I could probally use 2/3rds of my everyday personal carryon as a weapon if pressed:

laptop charger = strangulation cord
keys = crude eye-gougers
airosol deoderant = disabling spray
coffee pot = disabling/scalding spray & impact weapon.
DVDs = snap one in two and you get a crude but sharp&tough polycarbonate edged weapon.
belt = strangulation weapon
cell phone = shove it up their ass

I know someone who carries a set of titanium[/u] chopsticks. TSA never gives him any guff.

 

was two european tourists were travelling with these motorized scooters ( yest the little plastic gas tanks were filled with gas/oil mix) they simply folded down teh handle bars and they sooters slipped into these nice duffle like carry bags and not a single question was asked ...the tourists said in US cities they save a bundle on taxies! they simply put them in the overhead compartment...