The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed airline cabins be equipped with cameras and flight attendants be equipped with wireless communication devices to alert pilots of any situations which may arise in the plane.

It’s about time.

A spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association told The Associated Press, “Pilots have no way of knowing what is going on behind the [flight deck] door.”

How could they? Since shortly after 9/11 the flight deck doors must be closed and locked at all times.

But even locked and closed doors may not be enough to deter would-be hijackers from storming the cockpit. Doors break. Some people are extremely strong. The camera proposal simply adds another tool to the arsenal against potential terrorists.

Since an airliner is a public place there is no expectation of privacy for the passengers in the cabin. A pilot must know what is happening in the entire aircraft at any given moment. This is especially important when considering the Arming Pilots Against Terrorism Act.

Under this act pilots are allowed to volunteer to become deputized as federal flight deck officers. As deputized federal law enforcement officers these pilots can carry firearms into the cockpit to thwart any potential threat.

While not all pilots carry guns, all are required by the Transportation Security Administration to undergo “basic security training.” Pilots are also given the option, by the TSA, to continue with the training voluntarily to learn additional skills.

But right now any gun-wielding martial artists donning a pilot’s cap are locked in the cockpit, with absolutely no idea what goes on in the rest of the aircraft. Cameras would alleviate that problem.

The camera could provide the pilots with much needed time. If someone storms the cockpit or is murdering flight attendants or passengers the pilot will have the time needed to load his or her weapon and prepare for the assault on the cockpit.

The only bad idea in this proposal is the FAA may offer options to the airlines to meet the “camera requirement.” An AP story from Wednesday’s Rockford Register Star gave the example of peep holes being a viable alternative for the airlines.

Maybe if pilots were expecting a UPS delivery or a pizza, peep holes might work, but we are talking about trained terrorists attempting to assault the cockpit, not the UPS ground delivery team. Besides, how would a pilot know when to check the peep hole? Maybe they can use “The Force,” but we doubt it.

If the FAA wants this proposal to be effective they must require cameras in the cabins and accept no alternatives.

This is a great idea. Let’s see if the FAA can make it an effective one.