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Remembering 911 - Were you in the Air?

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This thread is for Airborn only....

Please keep this thread in context. This is not a "recollection" thread, but recalling the radio calls of those that were airborn at the time of the tragedy. What the radio call was that you received, that you'll never forget.
 
The Day that will live in infamy

The radio call that I heard and will never forget was that of screaming on the radio of the crew of UAL 93 and then the voice of the terrorists anouncing that they had a bomb. I'm a corporate type so I didn't get a call from dispatch. I was climbed from FL370 to 410 and then vectored all around to stay clear of the hijacked plane. The order to land was rather bland compared to the rest of it. Was told to land at Cleveland but bargained for Toledo to get farther west.
 
Ironically, I didn't find out what had happened until I was on the ground. When I dialed in Approach to return to the airport, the frequency was so jammed I had to circle for about 15-20 minutes until I could get a word in. When I finally got the controllers attention he didn't ask what I wanted, he just vectored me in. When I got onto the ground I listened to the ATIS and found that it had been changed to reflect the ground stop. Then when I got inside the FBO I got the whole story and saw the towers fall on TV.

Dr Evil: I like the all the stories so far, even if they are from people that weren't in the air they are still avation related.
 
In Daytona the controler said something like: "OK everybody listen up. For reasons of national security everyone must land immediately." They then began to vector everyone to all the local airports. The tower let people know that there had been two aircraft that had gone into the WTC buildings and that there was a nation wide ground hold.

I just sit here and wonder where we all would be if this had never happened. I hope those 19 bastards are feeling the heat if you know what I mean.
 
I had launched in a corporate jet out of Seattle, bound for FL, at about 5:30 a.m. After about an hour or so, I heard the controller release a King Air for an apporach into Rock Springs, WY, and tell him, "When you get on the ground there, you're probably going to be stuck for a while, there is a nationwide ground stop in effect for all departures".

I asked my F/O to query him, since I had never heard of something like that before. The controller said, "We're getting reports that the WTC was struck by a hijacked 767 and they've put a stop on all departures; airborne aicraft are being allowed to proceed to their destinations".

A few minutes later, he came on and said, "We're getting reports now that the second WTC tower has been hit by a another aircraft, and the first tower is down. We may have to divert all aircraft tot he nearest suitable runway".

I told him that we would be happy to comply, but that we would probably have to dump fuel to make our Max Landing Weight". He told us to stand by, but to plan for Denver (about 250 nm).

After a few more minutes, he came back on, and said, "We're getting reports now that a third aircraft has hit the Pentagon, and all aircraft are going to be diverted to the nearest suitable runways. Everyone stand by for diversion".

He then came back on and told us to go direct to Denver. We asked if we could go to Centennial, since the last thing I wanted to do at that time was head for an air carrier airport. He said, "great- that's approved", so that's what we did, and that's where we stayed for the next four days.
 
We'd departed IND enroute back to ABQ in the Falcon. Wheels up @ IND as the first plane hit. Of course we knew not. Planned fuel stop at LIT. On vectors, then cleared direct LIT "and plan on staying there awhile"

What the heck does that mean? Immediately ATC then says a national ground stop has been ordered and all aircraft are instructed to land immediatley at the nearest airport. The radio comes alive as many other planes who had not planned on landing LIT are now heading there. I'm wondering what in the world is going on. The only thing I can think is a war and there was no war or threat of war an hour ago when we left IND. Nobody questions ATC and finally I say "What's going on?" ATC says "a plane has hit the World Trade Center" I have no clue that it was intentional but the freq is busy and it's obvious that I should not question instructions and just get this thing on the ground. (a crash into the WTC is horrible but what's that got to do with me, a 1000 miles away???)

The LIT ATIS is crazy: "National Ground Stop, Everyone must land NOW"

We're told to land, number 4 for the runway with 5 more close behind, expedite, exit the runway as quickly as possible.

Got out and into the FBO in time to see CNN both towers in flames and then collapse. Spent 5 days in LIT.
 
I tell you, these stories are just bone chilling to hear. This is great information to see how the message was sent to those in the skies at that time, as we would never imagine how this would impact us, and how we could be used against our own nation.
 
Dr. Evil probably doesn't want to hear my story but i thought i will let hear anyway.

My wife was getting ready to go int o delivery around that time of septmeber and I fly for a little 135 operator as PIC in a lear24. right after midnight on the 11th of september i got a call from my wife that she had to go to the hospital because she wasn't feeling good and wanted to see a doctor. ( this is our first baby)

Since my boss approved it that if we had to go into labour that we would reposition back to the house even as soon as the news broke.

So we took to the air in the middle of the night. We landed at our home base around 4 am. went straight to the hospital and set there, when i turned the Tv on around 6 or so and saw all the events unfold.

We gave bith to a beatifull baby daughetr the 12th after a long an hard delivery.

I am just very glad that i got the call and flew home, just intime looking back on it!
 
we also left IND on that morning for LIT but we were dropping off freight there in a LR35 then going empty back to ELP. About half way there right after a handoff (i think we missed the announcements on both freqs just by timing) we started hearing people getting diverted. At first we thought an airport that some of the planes were going to might have been closed. Then we heard a comair plane make an inquiry into it and the controller said "EVERYONE HAS TO LAND". So now we are really racking our brains trying to figure out what the heck has happened. Soon after i am able pick up the LIT ATIS and it said "there is a national ground stop in effect- ALL VFR and IFR aircraft must land as soon as possible" and then gave the stats. A lot was happening on radio so we decided not to pester the controllers with questions. At that point the captain and I were starting to get a little nervous. We both knew there had never been a national ground stop before even during a war. The thought of nuclear winter or some sort of MASSIVE attack on the US was the only explanation that either of us could come up with, so we were obviously hoping we hadnt thought of something. We were able to land in LIT because we were already close enough and when we called the airport in sight they told us we were #12 for the airport. The controllers and pilots were all calm and professional. We watched the buildings fall from the FBO pilot lounge.
 
Was at the airport doing a pre-flight, when one of the guys came out and told me I needed to come see this on the TV. By the time I got inside and watched the unfolding events on the TV, the word came down that all air traffic was being halted.
 

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