A Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) is a Part 121 Airline Pilot who is trained and licensed to carry weapons and defend commercial aircraft against criminal activity and terrorism.
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Although a pilot will rarely come face to face with a ter- rorist, guns will be a constant presence on flights everyday.
A LEO with an operational need to travel armed must present acceptable credentials to the airline as outlined in 49 CFR § 1544.219. In addition, a LEO must complete any required airline paperwork, referred to as Person Carrying Firearm (PCFA) forms.
Each air marshal is authorized to carry a gun and make arrests. There are not enough air marshals to cover every flight, so their assignments are kept secret. No one knows which passenger is the air marshal, or even if an air marshal is present on the flight at all.
The need to have the weapon accessible aboard the aircraft must be determined by the employing agency and based on one of the following: Assigned to a protective duty as a principal or advance team, or on travel required to be prepared to engage in a protective function. Conducting a hazardous surveillance operation.
Generally speaking, no, you can't be armed with a firearm while on an airplane. The only people who may qualify to carry firearms on planes are: Members of law enforcement who have passed the TSA Law Enforcement Officer Flying Armed Training Course. Trained, authorized air marshals.
Though unlikely, hijackers or pirates may try to take control of a ship. Cruise companies see the risk of this kind of terrorism. In response, many cruise companies place armed security on each of their ships. These trained professionals are ready to defend the passengers on board.
There are as many as 5,400 aircraft in the sky at the same time during peak operational times, the FAA says. While air marshals aren't on every flight, they are authorized to fly on planes of any U.S. air carrier, Maryville University says.
Do's and don'ts of spotting an air marshal. Each member of the flight crew knows which person, if anyone, is an air marshal. They're informed because air marshals are armed law enforcement officers. Whenever armed passengers such as police officers or air marshals are on a flight, they're introduced to the flight crew.
A bullet can cut through glass -- and airplanes. Watch enough movies and you'll eventually encounter one where terrorists or hijackers take over an airplane and start shooting up the place willy-nilly.