First, a hat tip to Grant Cunningham over at the Revolver Liberation Alliance blog for providing the original link to a truly instructive story about a negligent discharge. Mr. C's blog is enjoyable reading for anyone interested in revolvers. I admire his writings about wheel guns in general, and his custom work in particular, but I respectfully disagree with some of his personal interpretations. More on that later.
Click HERE for the link to a brutally frank ND report, written by the unfortunate who self-victimized his own person. Please be advised: Some of the images included depict actual gunshot wounds. As such wounds go, these are not particularly gory, but they ARE graphic, and might take some folks by surprise. The writer confesses his own negligence and tells us of the aftermath. It is noted that, for a gunshot wound inflicted with a major caliber handgun, with high performance ammunition, at VERY close range, this one is fairly minor. Nonetheless, the aftermath was painful, traumatic, and expensive. It should be a lesson to us all.
The writer/victim points out the difference between an Accidental Discharge (AD) and a Negligent Discharge (ND.) He also repeats the FOUR RULES OF FIREARMS SAFETY in pretty much their original form, with some valuable elaborations. As it is ALWAYS in order to stress safety, I'll list them again:
Jeff Cooper's Rules of Gun Safety
RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED
RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY
RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET
RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET
The above are pretty much “the original,” as I was taught them when I attended Gunsite back in 1980. They have been paraphrased a number of times, but as long as the sense of these is maintained, the purpose will be accomplished. “The Rules” are one of Jeff Cooper's true contributions to the world of shooting.
If these rules are taken to heart and strictly observed, safe gun handling is assured. Many years ago, the firearms industry, in cooperation with the National Rifle Association, promulgated “The Ten Commandments of Gun Safety.” These were okay, and far preferable to no codified rules at all. I submit that The Four Rules are truly superior, in that they are simple, easy to remember and easy to teach. If we truly make them part of our thinking when dealing with firearms, there will be no tragic accidents, no silly mistakes, and no unintended injuries.
I hope you'll take time to read Greg Morrison's commentary on The Four Rules. He changes nothing, but does provide an expanded and valuable perspective.
The disagreement I have with Mr. Cunningham's writings is his rearrangement and rephrasing of these valued safety rules. Perhaps it is not so large a matter as it seems to me, that we should not be revisionist with other individuals' writing. Maybe it's just too soon after Colonel Cooper's death, and I might think differently later. Who knows?
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Personal Protection Firearms Preferences
I handle moderator chores in the Handguns: Autoloaders forum of one of the larger firearms discussion boards. I find it interesting how strongly some enthusiasts promote their OWN choice of a defensive handgun as being totally ideal for others.
For the past couple of weeks, one such thread has been allowed to run on for 'WAY too long. The stated topic concerned which pistol is better, the S&W M&P autoloader or the Springfield XD. The following is a slight rework of my ending post thereon.
Some contributors cannot accept just how subjective is the individual's choice of firearms -- firearms in general, and personal protection arms in particular. It would seem axiomatic: You carry what YOU like, and what YOU trust, and what YOU can shoot well, and I'll do the same. The rest is merely details.
Unless, of course, you're dealing with an agency issue weapon, personal preference is the ONLY thing that counts. In the case of issue pistols, if the powers-that-be tell you, "If you work here, you carry what we issue," then that pretty well ends it. You either cowboy up and adapt to the issue piece or sack your saddle and go elsewhere.
And I had to inject a bit of personal testimony at this point - - -
It happens that I've shot a LOT of different handguns over the years. I have my own personal preferences, sure. Long ago, I worked for an agency where you could carry whatever you wanted, so long as it was "Colt or Smith & Wesson double action revolver, four-inch barrel, caliber.38 Special or .357." At my next job, the requirement was about the same but by that time, the Ruger DA was acceptable, and the caliber was not specified. Even back then, my personal preference was for the Colt 1911-type pistol, but I adapted, practiced with the approved sidearms, and got along just fine.
Given my druthers, I'm still prefer a 1911 guy for when I carry a full size pistol, and I choose an Airweight .38 as a pocket piece. . But you know what? I could get along quite well with any of several other good quality sidearms.
Day to day, I like the Colt Commander .45, but my beloved Elder Son prefers his old model full-size Kimber. At least two men I highly respect prefer the 9mm Browning Hi Power. Another is devoted to a three-inch S&W .357. Something all these people have in common, though, is that they accept that it is the shooter and not the firearm that makes the decisive difference. And any of us could pick up the others' sidearm and make a pretty good showing in a street fight.
I'll readily admit that I have almost NO experience with the S&W New M&P auto, or the Springfield XD. However, I have fired several thousand rounds through my Glock 19, so I'll bet that with only minimal practice, I could handle one of the other two fairly well. Allow me a month's intensive practice with a good holster and a bunch of ammo, and I think I could shoot expert on most police qualification courses with any of them.
Here's the catch, though: I don't feel the need to promote my personal favorite as being superior to YOUR own choice for YOUR use. In an appropriate discussion, I'll tell you what I like, and why. I'll listen politely while you tell me the same. But as soon as you begin telling me why MY Commander is utterly wrong, that Steve's High Power is trash, or Marko's Model 13 is sadly obsolete, then you lose me in a hurry, and I'd jsooner be elsewhere. I SURELY won't stick around to listen to you expound on why the XD or MP.40 or HK crunchenticker is inestimably superior.
Brand loyalty is all well and good, but when one attacks the choices of others, and become tacky in the discussion, well, thats a bit out of line. For those who had their say and respectfully stood by while the other guy had his, I extended my thanks. I thought that eighty-odd entries were plenty on the topic. I invited anyone with something new to add to start a new thread. In the meanwhile, I closed the discussion.
For the past couple of weeks, one such thread has been allowed to run on for 'WAY too long. The stated topic concerned which pistol is better, the S&W M&P autoloader or the Springfield XD. The following is a slight rework of my ending post thereon.
Some contributors cannot accept just how subjective is the individual's choice of firearms -- firearms in general, and personal protection arms in particular. It would seem axiomatic: You carry what YOU like, and what YOU trust, and what YOU can shoot well, and I'll do the same. The rest is merely details.
Unless, of course, you're dealing with an agency issue weapon, personal preference is the ONLY thing that counts. In the case of issue pistols, if the powers-that-be tell you, "If you work here, you carry what we issue," then that pretty well ends it. You either cowboy up and adapt to the issue piece or sack your saddle and go elsewhere.
And I had to inject a bit of personal testimony at this point - - -
It happens that I've shot a LOT of different handguns over the years. I have my own personal preferences, sure. Long ago, I worked for an agency where you could carry whatever you wanted, so long as it was "Colt or Smith & Wesson double action revolver, four-inch barrel, caliber.38 Special or .357." At my next job, the requirement was about the same but by that time, the Ruger DA was acceptable, and the caliber was not specified. Even back then, my personal preference was for the Colt 1911-type pistol, but I adapted, practiced with the approved sidearms, and got along just fine.
Given my druthers, I'm still prefer a 1911 guy for when I carry a full size pistol, and I choose an Airweight .38 as a pocket piece. . But you know what? I could get along quite well with any of several other good quality sidearms.
Day to day, I like the Colt Commander .45, but my beloved Elder Son prefers his old model full-size Kimber. At least two men I highly respect prefer the 9mm Browning Hi Power. Another is devoted to a three-inch S&W .357. Something all these people have in common, though, is that they accept that it is the shooter and not the firearm that makes the decisive difference. And any of us could pick up the others' sidearm and make a pretty good showing in a street fight.
I'll readily admit that I have almost NO experience with the S&W New M&P auto, or the Springfield XD. However, I have fired several thousand rounds through my Glock 19, so I'll bet that with only minimal practice, I could handle one of the other two fairly well. Allow me a month's intensive practice with a good holster and a bunch of ammo, and I think I could shoot expert on most police qualification courses with any of them.
Here's the catch, though: I don't feel the need to promote my personal favorite as being superior to YOUR own choice for YOUR use. In an appropriate discussion, I'll tell you what I like, and why. I'll listen politely while you tell me the same. But as soon as you begin telling me why MY Commander is utterly wrong, that Steve's High Power is trash, or Marko's Model 13 is sadly obsolete, then you lose me in a hurry, and I'd jsooner be elsewhere. I SURELY won't stick around to listen to you expound on why the XD or MP.40 or HK crunchenticker is inestimably superior.
Brand loyalty is all well and good, but when one attacks the choices of others, and become tacky in the discussion, well, thats a bit out of line. For those who had their say and respectfully stood by while the other guy had his, I extended my thanks. I thought that eighty-odd entries were plenty on the topic. I invited anyone with something new to add to start a new thread. In the meanwhile, I closed the discussion.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Cold Weather Shootin' Match Part II
Yeah, I went to the submachine gun match on Saturday. It was about as cold as I figured it'd be. I wore full polypropylene underwear, a corduroy shirt and khaki pants. A polypro neck gaiter over my ball cap covered my neck and ears. My ancient wooly pully sweater and a Walls insulated vest went on top.
The matches are held in an old quarry and the high wall on the north side kept off the worst of the wind, so I didn't put on my heavy jacket. I wore tight deerskin gloves, thinking I could wear them while shooting. Bad mistake. I should have worn lined gloves and just pulled them off long enough to shoot. First stage, I fumbled reloads badly, my hands were so cold. Between stages, I took forever to refill magazines, even though Thompson mags are a lot easier to load than many other types.
My performance was less than outstanding. I was getting failures to fire a couple of times per magazine. This was particularly disgusting, because this particular 1928 TSMG has worked very well for years. I tried down loading my mags with 28 rounds instead of 30, and wished I had fresh Wolff recoil spring. I finally figured out the problem. Last time I shot the gun, I failed to do a complete tear down and cleaning. Hey, I've been shooting jacketed handloads rather than cast lead. I'd oiled the gun generously before I put it up a couple of months ago. Whoops. As it turned out, the powder residue from previous shooting and the extra oil, combined with the low temperatures, gummed things up badly. Unfortunately, I didn't work this out until the match was almost over. In retrospect, I'd guess I haven't done a detailed cleaning of that gun in the last 1200 rounds. I really can't blame the gun for my laziness.
Oh, well, I had fun, and I wasn't the only one with gun troubles. Two MP-5s, an Uzi, a 9mm M16, and an M1 Thompson had various ailments. Causes ranged from bad magazines, poor handloads, and messed-up red dot sights to some still-undiagnosed ills.
The match was interesting, with a total of four stages. Targets were a mix of steel plates and paper. All shooting had to be done on full automatic. The paper targets were IDPA-type silhouettes with a paper plate stapled to the center. As control is stressed, each paper plate required at least two but no more than five hits. Holes anywhere else on the silhouette did not count. Only pistol-caliber guns were allowed in the competition, because rifle cartridges are too destructive to the metal plates. After the matches, though, there is a free fire time, during which anything may be shot.
We usually see the same shooters, with an occasional new participant arriving by invitation. When a new guy shows up, he's expected to display his proof-of-registration for any National Firearms Act weapons he brings. With the prices of registered full automatic guns nowadays, none of the regular group is going to tolerate others bringing any contraband items to the match. These owners are all pretty dedicated sportsmen and hobbyists, with nary a thug in the lot.
The weather never got much over 40 degrees on Saturday.
The matches are held in an old quarry and the high wall on the north side kept off the worst of the wind, so I didn't put on my heavy jacket. I wore tight deerskin gloves, thinking I could wear them while shooting. Bad mistake. I should have worn lined gloves and just pulled them off long enough to shoot. First stage, I fumbled reloads badly, my hands were so cold. Between stages, I took forever to refill magazines, even though Thompson mags are a lot easier to load than many other types.
My performance was less than outstanding. I was getting failures to fire a couple of times per magazine. This was particularly disgusting, because this particular 1928 TSMG has worked very well for years. I tried down loading my mags with 28 rounds instead of 30, and wished I had fresh Wolff recoil spring. I finally figured out the problem. Last time I shot the gun, I failed to do a complete tear down and cleaning. Hey, I've been shooting jacketed handloads rather than cast lead. I'd oiled the gun generously before I put it up a couple of months ago. Whoops. As it turned out, the powder residue from previous shooting and the extra oil, combined with the low temperatures, gummed things up badly. Unfortunately, I didn't work this out until the match was almost over. In retrospect, I'd guess I haven't done a detailed cleaning of that gun in the last 1200 rounds. I really can't blame the gun for my laziness.
Oh, well, I had fun, and I wasn't the only one with gun troubles. Two MP-5s, an Uzi, a 9mm M16, and an M1 Thompson had various ailments. Causes ranged from bad magazines, poor handloads, and messed-up red dot sights to some still-undiagnosed ills.
The match was interesting, with a total of four stages. Targets were a mix of steel plates and paper. All shooting had to be done on full automatic. The paper targets were IDPA-type silhouettes with a paper plate stapled to the center. As control is stressed, each paper plate required at least two but no more than five hits. Holes anywhere else on the silhouette did not count. Only pistol-caliber guns were allowed in the competition, because rifle cartridges are too destructive to the metal plates. After the matches, though, there is a free fire time, during which anything may be shot.
We usually see the same shooters, with an occasional new participant arriving by invitation. When a new guy shows up, he's expected to display his proof-of-registration for any National Firearms Act weapons he brings. With the prices of registered full automatic guns nowadays, none of the regular group is going to tolerate others bringing any contraband items to the match. These owners are all pretty dedicated sportsmen and hobbyists, with nary a thug in the lot.
The weather never got much over 40 degrees on Saturday.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Cold Weather Shootin' Match
What Am I Thinking?
0745 on a chilly morning. I shouldn't even be out of bed. I'm retired, and it's a Saturday anyhow. I mean, I'm a Suthron by birth and a bit cold natured to boot. I freely admit that some of you have it worse, and live where it gets LOTS colder than it does in my area. You know what? I don't care. It's MY comfort I'm thinking about. If you thrive in a cold climate, than God bless and I'm glad you enjoy it. You're made of stronger stuff than I.
Local cable weather svc says it's 24 degrees out, with a TWELVE degree wind chill. It MAY get up to 50 this afternoon. I'm not as temperature tolerant as in my youth - - or even middle age. To paraphrase, this is no weather for old men – at least, not this old man.
So what the hell am I doing, loading up to go out to a shooting match? I've been looking forward to some trigger time and this is a good excuse. Actually, there are TWO matches in easy driving range this morning. One is an IDPA-style pistol contest. I need to see one of the regular participants who has a couple of my .45 magazines. The other is a submachine gun match. For a change, I have plenty of ammo loaded up.
I can't be in two places at once, so I'm taking gear for both matches, and if it turns out that one has been canceled, I'll drive over to the other one. I just hate to get all bundled up. And I don't like to shiver. Wish me luck, huh?
0745 on a chilly morning. I shouldn't even be out of bed. I'm retired, and it's a Saturday anyhow. I mean, I'm a Suthron by birth and a bit cold natured to boot. I freely admit that some of you have it worse, and live where it gets LOTS colder than it does in my area. You know what? I don't care. It's MY comfort I'm thinking about. If you thrive in a cold climate, than God bless and I'm glad you enjoy it. You're made of stronger stuff than I.
Local cable weather svc says it's 24 degrees out, with a TWELVE degree wind chill. It MAY get up to 50 this afternoon. I'm not as temperature tolerant as in my youth - - or even middle age. To paraphrase, this is no weather for old men – at least, not this old man.
So what the hell am I doing, loading up to go out to a shooting match? I've been looking forward to some trigger time and this is a good excuse. Actually, there are TWO matches in easy driving range this morning. One is an IDPA-style pistol contest. I need to see one of the regular participants who has a couple of my .45 magazines. The other is a submachine gun match. For a change, I have plenty of ammo loaded up.
I can't be in two places at once, so I'm taking gear for both matches, and if it turns out that one has been canceled, I'll drive over to the other one. I just hate to get all bundled up. And I don't like to shiver. Wish me luck, huh?
Friday, January 18, 2008
Old Men's Stories
I recently saw a very good movie called No Country for Old Men, an excellent screen treatment of Cormac McCarthy's novel of the same name. At the opening scene, there's a voice-over by Tommy Lee Jones' character, Sheriff Bell. He reflects on being a third-generation lawman, and tells about a noted murder case. Later in the movie, the sheriff's Uncle Ellis relates details of a local killing generations before.
All this makes me realize the wealth of personal history available from old timers who led active lives. In recent years, we've seen numerous examples of “oral history” projects, which consist mainly of someone with a tape recorder doing interviews with participants in certain historical events or eras. The researcher then transcribes the interviews or narratives and either publishes them or archives them with a historical society or university. Such projects usually deal with military personnel, but I've read one or two dealing with old lawmen.
I've lately been thinking of the oral history opportunities I've passed up during my lifetime. Most people who have attained age 60 or so have had some experiences which are worth relating. I've maybe seen a few, but my regrets lie in having rubbed shoulders with some truly interesting individuals, and failed to obtain detailed accounts from them.
One afternoon in the late 1950s, I accompanied my mother on a shopping expedition into downtown El Paso. Like most male teenagers, I didn't really enjoy this sort of thing, but I had no excuse not to go along and carry packages for her. Mother was looking for something at the Popular Dry Goods Department Store. I was hanging out, bored to tears, wishing I'd been smart enough to bring along a paperback book. There was a comfortable seating area, but no reading matter or any type.
After a few minutes, an older couple got off the elevator and the man said, “I'll be right over there.” He came over and took a seat. I guessed he was in his late sixties but still active. He wore clean, neat, clothing, but not fancy or “dressed up.” He'd clearly been outdoors a lot in his time. I figured him for either a retired engineer, ranch worker, or perhaps an old soldier. This conclusion required no particular talent or perception. Texas Western College had only a few years before been Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy. Many who had served at Fort Bliss and Biggs Field had retired in the salubrious climate. And there were many area ranches raising cattle, goats, and sheep.
This man could see I was restless and he kindly engaged me in conversation. He asked which school I attended, and if I played football. I told him no, that I was most interested in reading history and shooting guns. The old timer seemed to perk up at this and said he did a lot of shooting in his youth. It developed he was a veteran of “The Great War” and had been to France. I asked if he'd seen much combat and he said yes, but most of it had been in Mexico.
I quickly forgot my interest in World War I and began asking about my new friend's experience in the Mexican Revolution. I'd been vaguely aware that there had been a lot of gringo volunteers in that conflict, but this was the first participant I'd met. I'm ashamed I don't recall the man's name, but let's call him Jack. He and a pal had been adventurous and left their home somewhere in the Midwest (Indiana? Iowa?) and crossed from El Paso into Juarez in late 1914. They had no difficulty in joining la revolución. The only question was whether to join Villa's norteños or go well south and seek out Zapata. They joined Villa as machine gunners and dynamiters. Jack said he'd been friend with a National Guardsman back home, who'd shown him “all about” their early Colt's guns. His total experience with live fire was shooting a single belt on the Guard's range.
Jack said they were paid pretty well, early on. The Villaistas captured some gold bullion and hand-stamped a bunch of irregular coins. They were in the field when rumors arrived of the raid at Columbus, New Mexico. When word came that Pershing was leading US troops into Mexico in retaliation, Jack felt it was time to go home. They had a few hundred dollars in gold remaining, and absolutely no desire to fire on American soldiers.
This was all the story I heard. Jack's wife and my mother arrived at about the same time, and both were ready to depart. Stupidly, I failed to learn how to reach Jack, and I never saw him again. In which specific battles did he participate? What did he do on his return to the US? When did he enlist in the US Army? When did he muster out? How did he come to settle in El Paso? What had he done in the ensuing decades? All those great stories lost . . . .
It's worthwhile to pay attention when you learn of a historical resource with first-hand knowledge. I wish I'd taken more notes or carried a tape recorder over the years.
JPG
All this makes me realize the wealth of personal history available from old timers who led active lives. In recent years, we've seen numerous examples of “oral history” projects, which consist mainly of someone with a tape recorder doing interviews with participants in certain historical events or eras. The researcher then transcribes the interviews or narratives and either publishes them or archives them with a historical society or university. Such projects usually deal with military personnel, but I've read one or two dealing with old lawmen.
I've lately been thinking of the oral history opportunities I've passed up during my lifetime. Most people who have attained age 60 or so have had some experiences which are worth relating. I've maybe seen a few, but my regrets lie in having rubbed shoulders with some truly interesting individuals, and failed to obtain detailed accounts from them.
One afternoon in the late 1950s, I accompanied my mother on a shopping expedition into downtown El Paso. Like most male teenagers, I didn't really enjoy this sort of thing, but I had no excuse not to go along and carry packages for her. Mother was looking for something at the Popular Dry Goods Department Store. I was hanging out, bored to tears, wishing I'd been smart enough to bring along a paperback book. There was a comfortable seating area, but no reading matter or any type.
After a few minutes, an older couple got off the elevator and the man said, “I'll be right over there.” He came over and took a seat. I guessed he was in his late sixties but still active. He wore clean, neat, clothing, but not fancy or “dressed up.” He'd clearly been outdoors a lot in his time. I figured him for either a retired engineer, ranch worker, or perhaps an old soldier. This conclusion required no particular talent or perception. Texas Western College had only a few years before been Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy. Many who had served at Fort Bliss and Biggs Field had retired in the salubrious climate. And there were many area ranches raising cattle, goats, and sheep.
This man could see I was restless and he kindly engaged me in conversation. He asked which school I attended, and if I played football. I told him no, that I was most interested in reading history and shooting guns. The old timer seemed to perk up at this and said he did a lot of shooting in his youth. It developed he was a veteran of “The Great War” and had been to France. I asked if he'd seen much combat and he said yes, but most of it had been in Mexico.
I quickly forgot my interest in World War I and began asking about my new friend's experience in the Mexican Revolution. I'd been vaguely aware that there had been a lot of gringo volunteers in that conflict, but this was the first participant I'd met. I'm ashamed I don't recall the man's name, but let's call him Jack. He and a pal had been adventurous and left their home somewhere in the Midwest (Indiana? Iowa?) and crossed from El Paso into Juarez in late 1914. They had no difficulty in joining la revolución. The only question was whether to join Villa's norteños or go well south and seek out Zapata. They joined Villa as machine gunners and dynamiters. Jack said he'd been friend with a National Guardsman back home, who'd shown him “all about” their early Colt's guns. His total experience with live fire was shooting a single belt on the Guard's range.
Jack said they were paid pretty well, early on. The Villaistas captured some gold bullion and hand-stamped a bunch of irregular coins. They were in the field when rumors arrived of the raid at Columbus, New Mexico. When word came that Pershing was leading US troops into Mexico in retaliation, Jack felt it was time to go home. They had a few hundred dollars in gold remaining, and absolutely no desire to fire on American soldiers.
This was all the story I heard. Jack's wife and my mother arrived at about the same time, and both were ready to depart. Stupidly, I failed to learn how to reach Jack, and I never saw him again. In which specific battles did he participate? What did he do on his return to the US? When did he enlist in the US Army? When did he muster out? How did he come to settle in El Paso? What had he done in the ensuing decades? All those great stories lost . . . .
It's worthwhile to pay attention when you learn of a historical resource with first-hand knowledge. I wish I'd taken more notes or carried a tape recorder over the years.
JPG
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Outstanding New Fiction
Friend Larry Correia's book, Monster Hunter International, has now been published and is being offered through Amazon.com
This is a really fun read. An office worker discovers there are indeed monsters – all kinds of monsters -- running loose in the world. And he's recruited into an action organization dedicated to keeping the monsters at bay. This is pure fantasy, sure, but in much the same way as much of Robert A. Heinlein's early work. The story requires only a minor suspension of disbelief. It's set in today's world, with today's technology - - No swords, sorcery, or magic spells. It reads like an action/mystery novel, with plenty of conflict to keep the proceedings lively.
I was privileged to have been one of the readers who checked the manuscript for Larry, so I got to enjoy the book early on. It was thoroughly engrossing and I concentrated on the few typographical and other technical errors. Others helped with actual editing and the book was subsequently revised. The cover design is the work of the estimable Oleg Volk.
Go to Larry's Monster Hunter Nation blog site to learn more. In the right-side margin, you'll see “Sample Chapter from MHI,” which provides an appetizer. If your reading tastes are anything like mine, you'll be hooked.
Best,
JPG
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Missile Defense for Airliners
In the past couple of days, there's been much in the news concerning a possible laser defense against missile attacks on airliners. American Airlines has been tagged to do the airborne testing, though the airline seems to have some reservations about this “honor.”
AA has been done preliminary testing on a Boeing 767 aircraft since 2006, and operational test installations may be in place as early as next April. Testing will not be done on passenger-carrying flights for some time yet. See MSNBC link to an AP story for more information.
It makes for interesting conjecture - - -
[August 2011]
Ah, ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Well, we've worried about this for some time now. If those on the left side of the cabin look forward and several thousand feet below us, you might see the smoke trail of a surface-to-air missile coming to intercept our flight path. In a couple of seconds, we'll just see if this laser gadget works as advertised . . . .
JPG
AA has been done preliminary testing on a Boeing 767 aircraft since 2006, and operational test installations may be in place as early as next April. Testing will not be done on passenger-carrying flights for some time yet. See MSNBC link to an AP story for more information.
It makes for interesting conjecture - - -
[August 2011]
Ah, ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Well, we've worried about this for some time now. If those on the left side of the cabin look forward and several thousand feet below us, you might see the smoke trail of a surface-to-air missile coming to intercept our flight path. In a couple of seconds, we'll just see if this laser gadget works as advertised . . . .
JPG
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