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Federal Air Marshal Qualification: Test Your CCW Skills

In cooperation with the Office of Civilian Airline Security, it was developed by a private instructor in the Fort Bragg, NC, area who routinely taught skills to certain units based at that facility...It was not an easy course. In fact, when senior officers from the Joint Special Operations Command attended and reviewed the course in 1998, their opinion was that those passing the TPC were among the top one-percent of pistol shooters in the world...

The situations confronting Air Marshals are actually quite similar to those an armed citizen might experience in an assault (or active shooter situation) in a crowded mall, restaurant, theater or other public venue. Speed can be critical, and errant rounds are ultimately the responsibility of the concealed carrier firing them. That makes the “old TPC Air Marshal qualification course” an excellent training regimen for civilian carriers.

Curious if anyone has tried this?

No, but I'm going to. I can't find the target shown in the article. I have the QIT-99 target and that's what some sources say to use for the FAM Qual.

Chas.

Charles L. Cotton wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2020 7:11 pm No, but I'm going to. I can't find the target shown in the article. I have the QIT-99 target and that's what some sources say to use for the FAM Qual.

Chas.

Action Target has them (QIT-97)

Charles,

The article stated that you could use USPSA targets if you don't have the required target and allows some "C" hits with that target. Apparently the "A" zone is tighter than the "bottle" on the specified target.

Added to my training bookmarks. Thank you for sharing!

Paul Howe says if we mastered everything on the first try, we would find no joy in hard work and would soon become bored with this existence. If you agree the Federal Air Marshal (FAM) Qual is definitely for you!

Shot the FAM Qual live for the first time today with an M&P9 2.0 using a strong side IWB holster under a T-shirt. It should be shot cold, so that is what I did. However I didn't read anything about not being able to run it dry or not finding my NPOA first. I'd strongly recommend doing both.

Last time I ran the FBI Qual I scored 98/100. But the FAM Qual is much much more difficult. It takes more time as well.


Like the article says, Stage 1 is very difficult. I got a 3.23 sec score of 7 pts on the second try. Tried it few more times and could not beat that for accuracy within the time constraints.

Stage 2 isn't really a whole lot easier. Got a perfect 2.14 sec (20 pts) after a few tries. Balancing time and accuracy is a challenge here.

Stage 3 took me several tries to get a good score within the time constraint, but it felt good after I had begun to "warm up". My best was a 2.46 sec (30pts):


Stage 4 showed that I needed a little refresher work on my mag changes. The instructions don't really say if the reload should be under concealment or not. I ran it 6.32 sec (20pts) with the mags exposed. Need to run it from concealment next time.

Stage 5 took two tries. Yielding a 3.09 sec (20pts)

Stage 6 was the most difficult for me. Kind of a mini-El Prez. Unfortunately I haven't had a range to practice such things until recently, and although I could clean the targets, getting the time requirement didn't happen today. 3 yards between QIT-97 targets make getting the required accuracy more difficult than IPSC or IDPA targets

Stage 7 seemed like a snoozer compared to the others. Ran it a few times just to see If I could clean it under the time limits. I did with 7.18 sec (20pts).

I ran this qual with street wear. I'm certain it would be very helpful on Stages 1 & 6 to use a vest with an OWB holster or appendix carry.

Stage 7 has plenty of time to use sighted shooting, but generally I used point shooting for the other stages. Its difficult to consistently get the accuracy required (5's) with point shooting, but it can be done.

Cleaned some SF drills afterwards to sooth my ego!

My hats off to those who can shoot this qual cold all the way through without re-shoots. I'm not quite in that top 1% (yet). Look forward to trying it again next time. Let me know how your experience goes.

Just placed the order for the targets and look forward to running the drill. My carry pistol now is an aluminum frame compact commander in 45 ACP. Should be a challenge with that pistol, especially the stage with the reloads.

An instructor in a class I was in made us shoot it. We were all relatively competent.

None of us passed

I think I'd do better now, but it's certainly not easy.

Paladin wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2020 8:45 pm

Charles L. Cotton wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2020 7:11 pm No, but I'm going to. I can't find the target shown in the article. I have the QIT-99 target and that's what some sources say to use for the FAM Qual.

Chas.

Action Target has them (QIT-97)

Thanks! I put 100 in the shopping cart. I have to order other targets also.

Chas.

AndyC wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2020 8:58 pm I've asked every range I've been at if they'd put on the FBI and Air Marshall quals for civilians to shoot (might bring them more business). Not one has stepped up.

Paper targets here: https://targets.net/products/fbi-qit-97-paper-target

That's a very good idea. I'm going to talk to my fellow Board members at PSC. We'd do it in the fall when 1) it's cooler; and 2) our new BIG clubhouse/education center is finished. I'll post a notice here for folks who may be interested.

Chas.

John Correia tries the FAM Qual:



The standard of being able to perform when "cold" is an important one, as odds are small that you will get into a defensive gunfight on your way home from the range. Honestly the targets that they are using in the video are much easier than the official targets with a CNS "A-Zone", and I'm certain the Air Marshals didn't use red dot sights when they were using this qualification. As the video shows, even with appendix carry Stage 1 is unforgiving and Stage 6 is extra difficult.

Hats off to these gentlemen for being willing to put their efforts on video!

Paladin wrote: ↑Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:29 am The standard of being able to perform when "cold" is an important one, as odds are small that you will get into a defensive gunfight on your way home from the range.

I found it odd that he stated he doesn't like a cold drill being the one that counts. ?? Like most of you, I assume the cold performance is most realistic.

I found another description of the FAM qual, with some differences in target and scoring:

Course of Fire PDF

Shots inside the bottle score 5, on the line or outside score 2

This second version is much easier than the first version.

I did some calculations on the first version and a PASS on the first version effectively requires USPSA Grandmaster level skills. Second version has a far larger 5 point target zone and is dramatically easier.

My speculation is that the Federal Air Marshals probably had precious few that could pass the first version cold, as precious few individuals can shoot to the grandmaster level. My guess is that the Air Marshals actually used the second version for qualification.

That said I tried this again and got very close to passing the first version (scored over 80% of the 90% required). I think I cracked the code and just need to work on my consistency (as the course of fire is unforgiving to even small errors).