The government is avoiding any action on the idea of allowing airline pilots to carry pistols, while the airlines have tried to stay neutral. The Air Line Pilots Association says that 73 percent of its members want to carry pistols, while the Allied Pilots Association says 90 percent of its members do. The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association says 70 percent of its pilots want to carry pistols. Pressure from the pilots has inspired both the House and Senate to launch different bills that would force the FAA to establish training to certify pilots to carry pistols within 90 days of passage. Flight attendants, on the other hand, have said they want unarmed combat training and steel batons to deal with knife-wielding terrorists.Stephen V Cole