Where were you on September 11th 2001?

[iflyforpie]

Well I wasn't flying...

Got two joyrides in before 9/11 on my shiny new PPL.

[Nark]

Looking for a job.

Just spoke with the CP at NT Air the day before. He told me to head East to Thompson.

[flyalmaguin]

Like most people involved in aviation and/or emergency services, I remember that day clear as a bell.

I was outside, taking the garbage to the road. I remember looking up at a cloudless sky and thinking things should be going smoothly for Voyageur Airways dispatch where I had worked until the end of 2000. I also refelcted on it being a beautiful day for flying and that I really should get current again....

My wife opened the window on the house and shouted I should come in and watch Canada AM, they are broadcasting live from New York, something about a small plane hitting the World Trade Centre. I distinctly remember looking back at the sky and thinking "weird, I'm sure the weather must be similar to what is here".

I joined her on the couch, my 3 month old daughter in her bouncy chair. One look at the flaming hole in the first tower and I knew this was no small plane. I'd been to WTC and knew it's size and this was a huge impact. First inkling that something wasn't right.

My wife asked how is it posible a plane could hit the tower on such a bright clear day? As I was explaining possible reasons, we saw the 2nd jet, very close, streaking from right to left on the TV screen. We both said at the same time "Wow.... that looked awfully close...." followed then by the exclamations of newscasters that the 2nd tower had been hit. Now we knew we were witnessing history unfold.

As a 911 dispatcher for the OPP and volunteer firefighter, my first thoughts were about the emergency responders that had to have been already in the tower responding to the first strike..... not knowing about the unfolding attacks, just doing their job that morning like any other morning.

My thoughts also drifted to fellow colleagues in the aviation world and what horrible emotions they must be experiencing.

The thought of the towers collapsing would never have entered my mind, so when they did I really was gobsmacked.

Like most, I spent the balance of the day glued to the TV, the internet and phone speaking with family. I remember a distinct feeling of dispair, remembering other terrible watershed moments in my history on this planet (Challenger disaster, the opening night of the 1st Gulf War, etc), and pondering how the world was going to change that day - and that my 3 month old daughter would never know what things were like prior to that fatefull morning. Much like I would never know a world before the JFK asassination and first moon landings I guess.

I can't believe it's been 10 years already.

Remember that day how you wish, but never forget to remember.

[Hawkerflyer]

Blasted off from Trenton, NJ and was diverted to Harrisburg, PA. An unforgettable day in history.

[MCB]

Did the kid above me say he was in the 5th freakin' grade?!?

I wasn't too far ahead of him. Sixth grade. I remember one of the seventh grade teachers walking in and calling my teacher out to the hallway to tell her something. Students weren't filled in until the second one had been hit.

[oleo]

I was also in grade 6. Still remember being shocked by the terrible news.

[KK7]

I just sat down in my college class and we were wondering where the instructor was. He finally popped in the door, and directed us to go see the televisions in the hallway. All the college TVs had been changed to CNN, and we saw the first tower burning. As we all gathered around we witnessed the second aircraft hit. Didn't know what to think or do. We all returned to residence and continued watching on the big screen TV in the common area, occasionally heading off to phone our respective homes to check on family.

[OceansEdge]

working dispatch... one of my compatriots got a call from home - we all fired up CNN on the computers just in time to see the second plane hit. We spent the morning getting a hold of and grounding all our aircraft and running back and forth to the board room TV, and trying to answer a lot of questions we didn't have answers for - I thank the powers that be for the great support we had - a fabulous DFO and crew scheduling really stepped up. It was one hell of a week.

http://www.canadiandispatchers.org/blog/?p=110

[nitescream]

I was in grade 11 in english class. Class phone rings teacher answers, then TV turns on automatically from head tech in school (so all TVs in school is on). Then we students saw second plane and realized we didn't luck out with a movie.... got sad real fast!!

[robertsailor1]

I had just arrived in San Francisco the night before after sailing our 44 foot sloop from Vancouver en route to Mexico. I woke up after my first 8 hour sleep in a week to military helicopters circling around the bridge. Thinking nothing of it I jumped in the dink and headed for the yacht club for breakfast. The first aircraft had already hit the towers as I entered the club dining room and as I stood there watching the TV live the second plane hit. Several of us just looked at each other and continued to watch. Very surreal experience.

[cyeg66]

I was starting my ATC career in YUL centre the week after. Part of me was wondering if I'd still have a job (drop in traffic, demand, etc.) waiting for me. Thankfully, it was still there when I moved from my abode in Western Canada.

[radiotom]

I woke up to the radio alarm just half hearing the news. Then it started to sink in, turned on the TV. I worked as a radio talk show host and news director at the time, was late getting to work that day cause I couldn't tear myself away from the TV. It was a crazy, scary and memorable day, we were running around like nuts trying to get updates from people in NY and DC, getting experts in the air, the mayor, etc. Exiting, but kinda scary too. I'll never forget it.

[I WAS Birddog]

*BUMP*

I'll be flying our aircraft to NYC later this morning...that's where I'll be 11 years later.

[all_ramped_up]

Was working up in Fort Nelson and saw the second bird auger in on TV. Shocked really.

Still hard to believe that much devastation in one day.

[Oxi]

6th grade elementary class, the teacher quietly walked in and said that not to worry but the World Trade Centre has been hit by a plane.


Just also wondering if anyone can maybe post pictures here or another thread about the day.

oxi

[cj555]

I was standing in the hallway of the residence at my university looking through the open door at the TV screen in my freinds room watching as the 2nd plane hit the tower. That exact moment is burned into my memory forever.

[howard40]

I had flown to Oshawa on business, It was a beautiful morning, We put a tv on in the meeting room, and of course they all asked me how it could happen. I gave some lame answers and watched the next one hit. I then said "that is not a mistake" but I had "no idea how it might have happened" I was told I could not fly home, "all airspace is closed" I wish I had walked out and took off.. I waited a day, then got a drive home. I went back a few weeks later to pick it up.

[bananaskins767]

I was in the air flying a 767 between Gatwick and Faro. After landing we taxied into line for a spot on the ramp or onto an airbridge, whatever they have there, and waited for at least 6 hours to finally offload the poor passengers.

[ea306]

Was staying at the Travel Lodge on Dixon Road.... Getting crew rest before operating an A310 to DUS.. Flight cancelled. Ten year old Daughter phone me up to watch TV..."someone has crashed into a building...I wanted to see if you are ok."

Went to the hotel crew room filled with other Canada 3000 crews and watched in horror as a second aircraft flew into the other building.

Watched Canada 3000s new A340 touch down in YYZ from the hotel window....and began to worry if I would have a job before too long.

9 th November 2001 became another 9-11 for all of us who had great jobs at Canada 3000.

Today I am waiting for my $180~ from PWC who is still handling the bankruptcy. 1.5% of what was lost in wages to be returned .... However EI will claw it back.

Fallout for me was unemployment... Lost a marriage.
9-11 was a Life changing experience...but life goes on and life is good.
Not nearly as devastating as it was for those involved directly.

Still shocking to witness how in a few hours, so many people can be affected by a single event. We will always remember September 11, 2001. Aviation is not the same today as a result.

[I WAS Birddog]

2013 bump

[Schooner69A]

I had just returned from our weekly CYSJ-KPSM trip (Portsmouth NH) to find that the first tower in NY had been hit while we were airborne. If our passengers had been a half-hour late, we would have spent some time out of country...

Like many others, we then watched history unfold in front of the TV in the passenger lounge.

John

[MartinB]

I was in Kindergarten. Being so young at the time, I don't remember much but I can remember just finishing drawing an Air Transat A330 that took up about 4 pages of paper taped together. And then I remember my teacher getting off the phone then she assembled us into "circle time" and she explained to us what was happening. Of course being so young, none of us kids had a clue how serious it was. But I remember seeing lots of crying.

[Schooner69A]

The next person who leads off a message with "I was in (kindergarten, grade school, junior high, high school) is going to get a visit from Omar, the flea purveyor. If you do so and you own a camel, be worried if your camel starts to kick up a fuss!

The nerve!

Pliny's brother John

(I am not "old", I am puberty-challenged)

[I WAS Birddog]

15th anniversary bump.

Safe travels everyone.


iWbd

[PilotDAR]

To answer the question posed, I was hosting an American guest at work, when he started receiving calls on his cell phone asking if he was safe. He was, here in Canada. We tuned in the radio, and were transfixed in horror. As the day progressed, we realized as everyone did, how serious this was, the training being provided by my American guest really did not stick well.

As planned, my guest joined me at home for dinner. As I knew he was keen to fly, I took him flying that evening from my home runway. It was a beautiful evening, it never occurred to me to check notams for a local flight in uncontrolled airspace. It sure was quiet in the air! I tuned up Buttonville's ATIS, and the message was awkwardly worded to be interpreted as the airport being closed - odd for such a nice evening... Then I tuned in Toronto International's ATIS, it's wording was much more clear, all Canadian airspace was closed - and there I was flying in it, squawking 1200 at 3000 feet over Lake Simcoe - uhoh! I descended toward Orillia to seem to be landing there, then flew home below radar, and put the plane away.

As the true magnitude of the event and human toll became known, I was asked, in my capacity as a volunteer firefighter, by the Chief, if I was available to go to New York, or more likely the outskirts, to help fill in for missing and injured firefighters. Firefighters in our area were not required, but we spent the next days being ready for anything. To this day, our fire trucks bear symbols of commemoration of those firefighters, and during fire training today, we remembered in silence for several minutes.