Buddy Spike

Going west to east generally involves night flying to avoid landing at night.

Better to be lucky than good.

I've flown this approach a few times before, and IIRC, Knight sits just under the FAF for the approach.

I actually have said nothing of the sort. At no point did I say I would do nothing. What I am saying is that if you set aside the bravado expressed by some of the keyboard cowboys here, you'll get that this is a very complicated situation. There is no 100% solution here, and saying you'll step up where others did not is just ego. It may not have been feasible. I don't think it's completely out of the question, but in this situation, the odds are stacked heavily in favor of the shooter. This is not a normal CCW intervention scenario. It is an absolutely horrible tragedy, but I don't know in this situation if being able to shoot back would have made things any better. Have we established what level of body armor he was wearing? Was it a Level II / Level III vest or no shit body armor like the Hollywood bank robbery? Please, show me where I said I would personally do nothing. I am not passive either. I teach Survival Krav Maga seminars to police departments as a certified instructor, and I am a CCW holder (as I mentioned, I've always got my Glock 36 on me). But it is absolutely wrong to think that this was a cut and dried scenario that could have been easily stopped whether via CCW holder, or even a uniformed cop. That is very valid.

Nice straw man argument.

The problem with the "I'd have been a hero" discussion is that it doesn't take into account the making the situation worse aspect. It's one thing to shoot armed assailants in an empty cafe, but it's an entirely different scenario to draw and shoot in a crowded movie theater. And I'm not talking about self preservation here, I'm talking about not making it worse. - The movie theater was completely packed, which means people were either running or dropping to the ground. It was dark and there was tear gas. Do you think that gives you a good shot? I don't know about you, but I've always been taught to know what I'm shooting and what's behind it. Could you live with killing an innocent bystander in the crossfire? And in this litigious society, could you afford it? - In the fog of war, do you think people will recognize you for the good guy, or just another assailant shooting up the place? What if there's another CCW holder that thinks you're part of the problem? - What about police? Say they had arrived earlier (or been on scene as it happened), how do you identify yourself as a good guy when there's just been a mass shooting and you're holding a weapon? This is NOT a black and white scenario for any CCW holder. You cannot simply say "well I would have shot him and saved lives." It's not that easy, just like before 9/11, people wouldn't have tried to subdue terrorists hi-jacking a flight. Ok, when do you shoot? This was a movie premiere. How would you know it's a shooter and not some theatrics from the movie? Is there a clear shot? He would have been roasted for doing so. Completely different scenario. 100% agree. Side note: GFY.

And if a CCW carrying person had missed and hit one of the people fleeing, changing the result to 13? What then?

No, I'm not saying that at all. In fact, I am a CCW holder and I carry a Glock 36 everywhere I go. The problem is that it's not about courage, it's about being realistic. It cracks me up when the bravado ramps up and everyone starts the chest thumping that they would have single handedly saved the day, or "put a gun to the side of his head." As I mentioned, a crowded, dark theater with people panicking and stampeding is a clear avenue of fire nightmare. You're very likely to not have a shot at all, and if you do, you may just be creating a crossfire. I am not advocating a course of action that involves running away or hiding, but the monday morning quarterbacking is bullshit. Even with a weapon, this situation would be very tough to prevail. He has body armor - you don't. Headshots are pretty unrealistic in a tear gas/dark environment with people running in front of you.

Someone's been reading too many Vince Flynn novels. You're not Mitch Rapp, old man. You're in a crowded theater with tear gas, people panicking, and a heavily armed assailant with body armor and a rifle. If you start shooting from concealment, odds are you're going to hit or clip one of the people running for their lives. I seriously doubt there was a clear shot, especially not in a dark theater with the guy wearing all black and throwing tear gas into the room. If you try to approach, you're going to get mowed down. He has the advantage of line of sight. Everything is in front of him, and you have to descend (more than likely, unless you sit all the way in the front of the theater). He was picking people off going for the exit. Everyone's a keyboard cowboy, but odds are you would have been just as ineffective in this situation as everyone else. But please, tell us more how you would have single handedly disarmed and stood down the threat in the midst of chaos.

This. Everyone's a hero until the bullets start flying.

Unfortunately, I think that's going to be more difficult as a result of this shooting - at least at public places like this. People tend to pawn off their security on others even after failures like this.

It's in the KC-135 vol 3 because Doug Masters never quite recovered from washing out of IFF.

Sadly, you will definitely hear this in some Viper squadrons if it's CAS.

I don't think I'll wear my G suit today, I'm not planning on pulling Gs.

I sure wish the Dash-1 had a crew section

"I love formation takeoffs and landings" "ACM backup? No thanks, I'd rather just do instruments" "Vectors to final? Maybe next time, today I want to fly the approach as published" "I always keep my mask up" "I'm glad the rounds limiter is set at 111" "I love ORIs"

Excellent idea. Good way to pick up chicks.

Speak for yourself.

No, in the sim it is perfectly acceptable. Those beach balls can be wiley adversaries.

You don't need to pull 9Gs for good BFM.

Low show option only.

And now the Senate is getting involved: http://www.wwltv.com/sports/Senator-calls-hearing-to-examine-bounties-in-NFL-143849626.html

Sweet Jesus, it's like an Onion article, except real. They even posted their TTPs on how to more effectively harrass people with their spam e-mails. FML.