Dominoes
On the morning of September 11th decisions began tumbling like dominoes. After the second tower is hit, Bruce Barrett, deputy manager of the New York’s largest FAA’s air traffic facility, declares a state of emergency called “ATC [Air Traffic Control] Zero”, a failsafe in the case of FAA radar failure that empties the skies overhead. The order stretches from Maryland north to southern New England, from Long Island to central Pennsylvania. His boss approves the order, and the order goes through without first obtaining FAA permission.
American Airlines knows it has lost one flight. They cannot lose another. At American headquarters the order goes out to ground all their planes that have not taken off in the Northeast.
At the same time, Ben Sliney is on his first day on the job as national air traffic operations manager, the central “chess master”. First he halts takeoffs of all flights bound for the Northeast. Moments later the order extends to Los Angeles. Then to San Francisco. The career air traffic specialists on staff aren’t satisfied. They shout for Sliney to “Just stop everything! Just stop it!” For the first time in history, the unprecedented order goes out: full groundstop. Nothing takes off.
But where is American flight 77? There is no response. American V.P. Gerard Arpey, acting without consultation with the CEO, orders all American flights out of the sky. But still no word from flight 77.
Then it hits. 35 minutes after the second tower collision, American flight 77 slams into the Pentagon. Sliney shouts to land all 4,500 planes in the air. The order is broadcast and sent up to FAA Administrator Garvey and her deputy Monte Belger. They approve. But now comes a phone call from a bunker under the White House where Transporation Secretary Norman Mineta has joined Dick Cheney, needing to know what the hell is going on. They explain the landing order. He concurs, then asks for the precise details. Belger explains that every plane is to land at the nearest airport unless, at the pilot’s discretion, there is a major emergency prohibiting this action.
Fuck pilot discretion!” says Mineta. “Monte, bring all the planes down.”
The news cannot come fast enough for the flights in the air. On United flight 890 over the Pacific, Capt. Hosking and pilot Doug Price wait for more news. But they have already decided to behave as if there are hijackers aboard their plane. Price wedges the pilots’ suitcases against the cockpit door. It won’t be easy to get in with those in the way. “Get out the crash axe,” orders Hosking. “If someone tries to come in that door, I don’t want you to hurt him. Kill him.”
September 11 described very excitingly. The second half comes tomorrow.
Email subscription
