Where were you on September 11th 2001?

oldtimer · Post by **oldtimer** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 10:52 am

Driving my wife to work, she mentioned a plane crash into a New York building and I thought of the WW11 B25 crash into the Empire State Building or something similar. Watched, along with many others, events on CNN on the TV in the flight lounge at the YYC Esso Avitat. Without cable, very poor reception and only one channel. Then all hell broke loose as people were trying to charter our jets to get out of the country and I was trying to get all our bag run airplanes home. Busy booking hotel rooms for the crews. Never got airplanes home for 4 days. It was strange to listen to the scanner and hear nothing.

skywatcher · Post by **skywatcher** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 10:57 am

Started flight training on September 5, 2005. I was in GS that morrning, went home for dinner and turned on the TV.
My flight was cancelled for that afternoon, so we all watched the a/c which were diverted to the airport.
That was a very interesting first week of flight school!!!!!!!!!!!

Rowdy · Post by **Rowdy** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 12:25 pm

I was woken up by a frightened mother and watched the whole thing unfold on CNN before realizing that HEY! MY DADS IN THE AIR! Half way across the pond. They got an F15 escort for the remainder of the trip into HKG. They had no idea till on the ground what was going on.

I then sat out on the deck at our old house and watched all the airplanes circle and listened to the scramble by YVR ATC to get everyone on the ground. Was pretty wild to watch 4 or 5 heavies circle just over our house!!

abc xyz · Post by **abc xyz** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 12:30 pm

was at jfk finishing our load when the 1st building was on fire. taxied out to 31R and was chatting with the capt about the fire - thought nothing of it just a high rise fire at the WTC. unique but nothing earth shattering. As we were chatting i looked back and noticed the 2nd building was on fire and a huge gaping hole in the side of the 2nd tower. managed to take a picture- unfortunately through the cockpit window it didint come out great.

next thing we hear was every American Airlines flight wanted to go back to their gate. they didnt say why just they wanted to back to the gate right away. so here we were 20 or so planes wondering what was going on. All flights for the time being were grounded. We were next to take-off, thankfully we never got off the ground.

the tower controller then comes on the radio and says the tower is being evacuated. sombody then after a moment of sheer silence piped up and said something to the affect of "ok boys were on our on keep your eyes open." slowly each remaining airplane on the ground filed their way back to their gate. all still in the dark about the extent of the days events.

i watched the towers collapse on tv inside the terminal and saw the utter disgust on the peoples face around me. went outside to call my family on my cell phone to tell them everything was alright. unfortunately the phone network was overwhelmed. you could here the fighter planes overhead within 30mins of the accident.

managed to be one of the 1st flight back into YYZ on the Thursday - i belive it happened Tuesday. From JFK to YYZ i believe i heard 4 or 5 planes for the entire trip. 4 planes through the world busiest airspace - the silence was really eerie

never will forget those days or flying over the pile of ashes after we were free to fly over the city again. i managed to get a evening NY paper extra for the days event and i keep it safe as a good reminder of the day.

swede · Post by **swede** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 3:34 pm

[quote="wannabatp"]Did my first solo on that day. Missed seeing the first tower strike, but witnessed the second live.

Aviation hasn't been the same since.

Nothing has been the same since, a similar day in infamy will be very, very hard to pin down..

Isis · Post by **Isis** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 8:05 pm

I was just getting to my mechanics class in Sault College. I can remember being very upset as I was not looking forward to two hours of "Krazy Karl".
- which, considering the circumstances, I was lucky.

That afternoon, a new type of fear came over me. At the time, I was a member of the artilery reserves. My CO called and wanted me at the armouries that night with full gear - including extra clothes. Thankfully, it was only a precaution in the event that we were called in to the clean up site. It was a long night on call, followed by my biggest drinking binge at the NCMs mess.

It sucks that it takes such a dissaster to make people stop and think.

We will not forget.

Indo · Post by **Indo** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 11:31 pm

I was on the toilet.

like2fly · Post by **like2fly** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 11:44 pm

About to takeoff in a Cessna 152 with a student from the middle east!

Dust Devil · Post by **Dust Devil** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 12:15 am

Sleeping on my girlfriends couch. got woken up just in time to watch everything on TV.

Hotwings · Post by **Hotwings** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:08 am

Was preparing for a cross country to New York, got the news 20 minutes prior to depature.

LostinRotation · Post by **LostinRotation** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:15 pm

Driving home after a long night shift. At first I thought it was a radio prank, but turning on the tube when I got home I realized it was true and saw the 2nd A/C strike.

Six hours later I was talking to a friend who had just arrived in Gatwick. On the front page of the post was the story and the faces of some of those involved.

-=0=LIR=0=-

scotothedoublet · Post by **scotothedoublet** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 3:43 am

I was at your mom's.

IFRATC · Post by **IFRATC** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 3:30 pm

I was working in the Centre that morning. Weirdest day of my career. I must admit though, information was timely from both the FAA and NAVCANADA. From an ATC point of view: a very professionally handled situation from all ATC'ers in North America. Not a single incident, and every aircraft in North American airspace and Gander oceanic were recovered in an extremely efficient and coordinated manner considering the precedent setting circumstance.

IFRATC

bob sacamano · Post by **bob sacamano** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 8:31 pm

getting my game on...overseas (GMT + 1hr)

Jaques Strappe · Post by **Jaques Strappe** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 3:26 am

IFRATC wrote:I was working in the Centre that morning. Weirdest day of my career. I must admit though, information was timely from both the FAA and NAVCANADA. From an ATC point of view: a very professionally handled situation from all ATC'ers in North America. Not a single incident, and every aircraft in North American airspace and Gander oceanic were recovered in an extremely efficient and coordinated manner considering the precedent setting circumstance.

IFRATC

I have to agree. I launched out of Toronto that morning as initially only the flights destined to New York were cancelled, then the U.S airspace got shutdown, then everything got shutdown. Very well handled by ATC.

Trans Pound Her · Post by **Trans Pound Her** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 2:38 pm

About to take off in a c150 with student....few hours later, drinking beer...mmmm beeeeer

VeRmiLLioN · Post by **VeRmiLLioN** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 6:07 pm

In Ottawa, waiting for the movers to pack up my stuff for my new job in Toronto.

Quietest Drive ever on the 401 that day. Not a cop or a brake light the whole way!

Miss Mae · Post by **Miss Mae** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 4:46 am

I had spent the night before at my parents place and woke up the next morning to see the whole thing unfold live on TV. I remember driving back home that night and dropping by work, and the airside doors being locked..our aircraft being guarded by airport security... so surreal.

Zatopec · Post by **Zatopec** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 7:24 am

I just went to Ground Zero yesterday. Very impressive. There is a huge gap in the city. We were very quiet for the time we spent there, totally unable to smile, trying to imagine what it must have been like to be there when the events took place. Unbelievable.

Zatopec · Post by **Zatopec** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 7:24 am

I just went to Ground Zero yesterday. Very impressive. There is a huge gap in the city. We were very quiet for the time we spent there, totally unable to smile, trying to imagine what it must have been like to be there when the events took place. Unbelievable.

Zatopec · Post by **Zatopec** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 7:26 am

I just went to Ground Zero yesterday. Very impressive. There is a huge gap in the city. We were very quiet for the time we spent there, totally unable to smile, trying to imagine what it must have been like to be there when the events took place. Unbelievable.

bob sacamano · Post by **bob sacamano** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 11:05 am

Where you there 3 times?

... · Post by **...** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 4:55 pm

Cool Rythms! · Post by **Cool Rythms!** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 5:41 pm

In YYZ, attending an ALPA seminar on air safety. Day one was on the morning of 9/11. How ironic was that. Shortly after the seminar began, someone walked into the conference hall and told us the news.

For a brief moment, we thought it was some kind of prank. But as we gathered into the hotel lounge during break, we quickly realized it was no prank.

Needless to say, we were all speechless, as we watched replays of the events on CNN. In all the years I've been in aviation, nothing could have prepared me, or anyone else for something like that.

This morning in church, I gave a short speech, reflecting on 9/11 and asked the congregation for their prayers, for those gone and the families left behind. I've been doing that every year since that day.

Gone, but not forgotten.

Out of Control · Post by **Out of Control** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 6:36 pm