9-11 Revisited

The Definitive Quote (Team 8 to the Front Office)

“In perhaps no aspect of the 9-11 attacks is the public record, as reflected in both news accounts and testimony before this Commission, so flatly at odds with the truth.”

March 9, 2010

The “What’s New” page became unwieldy, so I divided it up.  For new readers, the archived “What’s New” pages provide a good thumbnail of posts over the past several months, to include links in most cases.

Also, new readers should look at the “Welcome,” and “Joining the Commission Staff” pages, and the article, “Framework for Analysis.”

March 7, 2010

Published a short article, War Games; an update, under the category “Exercises and War Games,” to account for a brief conversation at one of Herndon Center’s west positions with Oakland.  Oakland asked to speak with the NOM about the Russian “missile shot.”  The audio clip is embedded in the article.

March 6, 2010

Published a short article, “9-11: VIVI-36; a national airborne command post, not a mystery either,” under the “Mystery Plane” category.  The article accounts for the National Airborne Command Post (NAOC) E4B aircraft, VIVI 36, request for clearance to JFK for Presidential support.  The primary source audio is embedded in the article.

There is nothing unusual or remarkable about the request.  The time was 9:39; the President was on the move to get airborne, the NMCC had just convened an Air Threat Conference, and a second E4B, Venus 77 was obtaining clearance to depart VFR from Andrews AFB.  At the time a decision had not been made as to the President’s destination.

March, 6, 2010

Published a short article “9-11: Transponders and Ghosts; the search for AA 11,” under the category “Transponders and Ghosts.”  In this article I document air traffic control conversations which show that Herndon Center was concerned about the report that AA 11 was still airborne.

Two audio clips are embedded.  The first documents that by 9:24 the order had gone out to ground stop everything coming into the D. C. metro area.  The second confirms that by at least 9:28 AA 11’s old flight plan was still tracking in the TSD (Traffic Situation Display) system.  Herdon Center called Cleveland Center noting that AA 11 was just crossing the boundary (into Cleveland airspace) and asked Cleveland if they had the plane on radar.  They did not.

March 2, 2010

Added a second addendum to the Cockpit Notification article to contrast and compare the situational awareness at Cleveland Center and Boston Center.  Relevant audio is embedded and a link is provided that leads to the Cleveland Center, Lorrain Sector, tape for the period 9:19 to 9:33, the period of the hijacking of UA 93.

February 26, 2010

Addendum to the Cockpit Notification article to establish that the idea may have originated with FAA’s New England Region, ANE.  ANE persisted, calling first the National Traffic Manager, East, and when rebuffed calling the National Operations Manager line, direct.

The ANE focus was on internationals and ZBW.  The initiative triggered a linear process to work through the carriers and their dispatchers to make the notifications.  The ANE plea “to do something” did not translate into a transcendent effort to notify UA 93.

February 23, 2010

Published under Chaos Theory an article about Cockpit Notifications.  I included primary source audio to show that as early as 9:10 Boston Center (ZBW) was providing cockpit warnings to aircraft, despite the fact that such notifications were a carrier prerogative.

The ZBW non-linear approach contrasts significantly with the Cleveland Center approach.  Cleveland followed existing linear policy and left notification responsibility to the carriers.

I compare the case of United 93 to demonstrate the relative timeliness of a non-linear solution on 9-11.

Added cockpit notifications to the linear process list.

February 23, 2010

The Department of Homeland Security published its Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Report; A Strategic Framework for a Secure Homeland, February 2010.

Secretary Janet Napolitano began her introductory letter by stating: “Pursuant to the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, I am pleased to submit the first Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR).”

The first words in the introduction are: “The story of homeland security is inextricably linked to the story of 9/11. The vivid images of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and smoldering fields in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, portrayed a Nation obviously shaken by the catastrophic surprise attacks that had occurred on its soil.”

A few voices argue that the events of 9-11 were not a surprise and that there needs to be a new investigation.  Clearly, the Executive Branch acknowledges the “catastrophic surprise attacks,” and has moved on.  Twice Congress has invested political capital to conduct investigations; first the Congressional Joint Inquiry followed closely by the 9-11 Commission.  There is no Congressional will for yet another investigation and that is not going to happen.  Congress, too, has moved on.

February 19, 2010

For those who check the “What’s in the Queue” page periodically.  Here is a quick update.  My next article will be about the Otis Scramble, a neglected piece of work.

The audio projects will be longer range; I need to collect the necessary files and then time-verify conversational segments.  The overall objective is to tell the story of 9-11 in the voices of the day.  John Farmer referred to our incomplete staff audio monograph.  It is my intention to complete that work in some fashion.

Why is that important?  The audio files are the most important primary source; they inform us about ordinary people going about their business as professionally as they could as the nation came under attack.

February 16, 2010

Published a third article in the category “Framework For Analysis,” “9-11: The Attack; A Different Perspective, Khalid Sheik Mohammed.”  The article is based on defense exhibits used at the Moussaoui trial. In addition to examining the attack from a different perspective, I provide my perspective about the system “blinking red,” and about the August 6, 2001, President’s Daily Brief.

February 16, 2010

I just learned of a serious forensic software modeling effort concerning the events of 9-11.  The site belongs to Mike J. Wilson and he has an included page, “9/11 Modeling, Renderings and Animations,” of particular interest to historians and serious researchers.

His current postings deal with the final moments of AA 77.  Here is the You Tube link, titled: “911 Case Study: Pentagon Flight 77.”  His findings are consistent with and expand the work of the 9-11 Commission.  As a preview, he accounts, graphically, for every light pole clipped by AA 77 on its final approach.

February 15, 2010

Added an important link, Terrorist Travel Staff Monograph.

The linked document is; “9/11 and Terrorist Travel, Staff Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States.”  It details the activities of the 19 hijackers as they entered the country and conducted their business.  The account builds on the work of the Congressional Joint Inquiry and adds significant detail to the Commission Report, itself.  This is the definitive source, one that historians and other serious researchers concerned with the events of 9/11 will want to use in their work.

February 8, 2010

Added an item on the Current News page with a link to a Feingold/Hamilton Wall Street Journal article on February 7th.  The issue is that the HPSCI and the SSCI do not have appropriations authority.  Both the Congressional Joint Inquiry and the 9-11 Commission recognized the need for Congressional reform.  That has not happened.

February 7, 2010

Edited the “Battlefield” article to show that Atta had to re-enter the National Airspace System (NAS) at Logan.  His negative reaction on being told he had to pass through security a second time indicates that he thought entering the NAS at Portland allowed him to avoid security screening at Logan.

February 4, 2010

Published a second article under “Framework for Analysis”;  “9-11: The Battlefield; Attack, Counterattack, and Operation Noble Eagle.”  The article defines the 9-11 battlefield as the National Airspace System (NAS).

I establish that the NAS was operated by the FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center (Herndon Center), commanded by the National Operations Manager, Benedict Sliney.  I further establish that the NAS was defended by NORAD’s Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS).

I provide details on both the attack and the counterattack and set the scene for the transition to Operation Noble Eagle, a story that will be written by Air Force historians.