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Loop Hole in FFDO (Pilot Carry) for Recreational Pilots to carry under LEOSA?

cirrusly

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
291
Location
North Dakota
From an initial glace at the Dept. Homeland Security FFDO (Federal Flight Deck Officer) qualifications, if you have an FAA Commercial certificate, theoretically you could qualify as an FFDO. Consequently, you would be covered under LEOSA.

If that reasoning holds true (subject to fact checking later!- hey it's late and I'm drunk) us recreational pilots could qualify for a "gold star" CCW?
 

Fallschirjmäger

Active member
Joined
Aug 4, 2007
Messages
3,823
Location
Cumming, Georgia, USA
I think I found the loophole in your otherwise cunning plan - -

Qualified law enforcement officers
In 18 USC § 926B(c),[9] "qualified law enforcement officer" is defined as an employee of a governmental agency who:
  • is authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law, and has statutory powers of arrest, or apprehension under section 807(b) of title 10, United States Code (article 7(b) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice);
  • is authorized by the agency to carry a firearm;
  • is not the subject of any disciplinary action by the agency which could result in suspension or loss of police powers;
  • meets standards, if any, established by the agency which require the employee to regularly qualify in the use of a firearm;
  • is not under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug or substance; and
  • is not prohibited by Federal law from receiving a firearm.
 
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MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
FFDO's are sworn deputized LEO's. They are volunteers, though, so might not be "employees" that can get LEOSA.

However, just being qualified to be a FFDO doesn't mean you can be one. From what I hear, it's a process that allows the powers-that-be to choose whether you may actually be one after you apply.
 

cirrusly

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
291
Location
North Dakota
Did some homework, and apparently FFDOs do not actually have "statutory powers of arrest," making LEOSA a definite moot point.

Apparently FFDOs are only licensed to carry the firearm issued by DHS (a .40cal H&K) on flights which they are a crewmember. Furthermore, they FFDO must load/unload the weapon on the flightdeck where he/she is "on duty," thus the firearms must be unloaded for transport to the flightdeck.

In fact, one FFDO agent was arrested in NYC (go figure!) because he accidentally let his FFDO credentials lapse by a month and thus his standard issue firearm was "illegally in his possession". He was hauled off my NY Port Authority.

As not only a pilot, but a pro-2A citizen who is competent with handguns, it's plain stupid to have the FFDOs loading the firearms on the flightdeck; there's more important pre-flight and pre-takeoff procedures to focus on. They are deputized and obviously mentally competent, as such they should be able to carry as DHS Flight Marshal federal agents.

In this research I've found the program is actually wildly successful in the number of flights they cover. Currently, 1 in 10 crew members are FFDOs; conversely less than 1% of the flights are covered by Flight Marshals. With the FFDO program only costing an average of $15 per flight versus $3000 per flight in comparison to the Flight Marshall program, it's an obvious pragmatic approach to counter-terrorism.

Of course Obama tried to abolish the program as part of the FY 2014 budget...
http://www.redstate.com/brian_d/2012/02/15/president-obamas-plan-to-kill-armed-pilot-program/
 
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