Think About it -- The Rarity of Events

Resources Think About it -- The Rarity of Events
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Carl Chinn

Carl Chinn

Oct 17, 2026

This is part 2 of 3, regarding flydubai flight FZ1073 and relevance to church security.

Airline flights are well known for stringent, official security measures. All passengers are thoroughly scanned and checked prior to boarding any commercial passenger flight.

Security is also serious for the crew. Background checks, extensive training, and detailed procedures are in place for everyone responsible for flights.

Yet things were missed on this flight as well as others in recent years.

2023; an off-duty pilot riding in the cockpit jump-seat attempted to crash Alaska Airlines Flight 2059 but was overwhelmed and defeated by the cockpit crew.
2015; Germanwings Flight 9525 was taken over by the copilot who intentionally flew the plane into a mountain killing all 150 on board.
2013; LAM Mozambique Flight 470 was intentionally crashed by the pilot, killing all 33 on board.
1999; EgyptAir Flight 990 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean killing all 217 on board. The 1^st officer had proclaimed “Tawakkalt `ala Allah" translated as, ‘I rely on God’" then took over controls from autopilot.
1997; SilkAir Flight crashed in Sumatra killing all 104 on board. Though there is controversy, it was likely sabotage by the pilot.
1982; Japan Airlines Flight 350 crashed into Tokyo Bay on approach to the airport. 24 of the 174 on board died. The captain had sabotaged the flight.

There could be some cases I’ve missed but this list confirms the point. It is very rare that the leadership on a plane becomes the threat. But it does happen.

As rare as it is, the security process is intense for the cockpit crew.

Think About it

Just because it is rare, would we want to see the industry stop the crew security process? Would you even get on a plane if you knew nobody in the cockpit was vetted, committed, trained and equipped?

I wouldn’t.

But we still have churches who take anyone with a compelling story into leadership. And some dismiss the need for any security based on their perceived rarity of issues.

James Garfield was the 20^th President of the United States. He would not accept protection of any kind. In 1880 he responded to men who had written him concerned about that.

Garfield responded, “Assassination can no more be guarded against than death by lightning; and it is not best to worry about either.”

In 1881, Garfield was assassinated.

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