Political Quotes

“My amendment will ensure that the FAA is doing everything that it can to certify that our aircraft are protected during a moment that pilots, flight attendants, and Federal law enforcement officers have all said that the aircraft is vulnerable to terror hijackings. Despite the effort to safeguard the cockpit after the 9/11 terror attacks, today, operational experience has highlighted that a critical vulnerability remains when a pilot must open the hardened, reinforced cockpit doors to eat, rest, or use the bathroom during long flights. Even the FAA recognizes that, ``During this door transition, the flight deck is vulnerable.'' Current FAA regulations require that the area outside the flight deck be secure before the reinforced cockpit door is opened. Currently, some airlines are using human shields or, in some cases, drink carts to try to block entry to the cockpit and claim it ``secure.'' But only one method has been thoroughly studied and proven to beat the threat of a trained hijacker exploiting this particular vulnerability, and that is an installed physical secondary barrier door. These barriers are light, inexpensive wire gates that are able to protect the flight deck long enough for the pilot to shut the reinforced door. This double door security procedure is something that Israeli airlines have been using for over a decade. They understand the risk and how to mitigate it.…”