Of course today’s post remembers the day the world of aviation changed forever. 

American Airlines Flight 11.  Boeing 767-223ER, registration N334AA. 81 passengers and 11 crew members departs Logan International Airport in Boston at 7:59am for a flight to Los Angeles.  Fifteen minutes later, the plane is hijacked by Mohammed Atta and others.  Atta flies the plane towards New York City and at 8:46:40 they crash into the northern facade of the North Tower of the World Trade Centre.  The aircraft is traveling at about 466mph and carries about 10,000 US gallons of jet fuel.  At 10:28, the tower collapsed.

United Airlines Flight 175.  Boeing 767-200ER, registration N612UA. 56 passengers and 9 crew members leaves Boston, also bound for LA.  Take off at 8:14, hijacked 30 minutes later.  At 9:03:06, it crashes into the South Tower at 545mph.  Approximately 600 people in the tower were killed instantly or trapped.  Although hit after the North Tower, the South Tower collapsed first – 9:59am.

In all, 3,017 people are killed and over 6,000 injured as a direct result of these two hijackings.

American Airlines Flight 77.  Boeing 757-223, registration N644AA. 58 passengers and 8 crew members leaves Washington Dulles International Airport for Los Angeles at 8:20am. It’s hijacked 30 minutes later.  At 9:37:44 it hits the western side of the Pentagon in Arlington Virginia.  125 people in the building are killed along with the crew, passengers and hijackers.

United Airlines Flight 93.  Boeing 757-200, registration N591UA.  Only 37 passengers and 7 crew members depart Newark International Airport bound for San Francisco at 8:42am.  In flight, the crew is warned about the hijackings that are taking place but they are overcome by the 4 terrorists aboard their jet at 9:28. UA93 crashed into a field near Stonycreek Pennsylvania at 10:03:11 at 563mph leaving a crater 10 feet deep.  Although it is thought that the hijackers were heading for Washington, DC, evidence points to a revolt by the crew and passengers leading to the crash.

These aircraft, their brave crews and all the people on board and on the ground who died that terrible day are remembered today.  Aviation changed and the world changed that clear, sunny morning 8 years ago.

The 1000th Boeing 747 rolls off the assembly line, 26 years after the program was launched.

Still my favourite choice for overseas travel, I caught this one at London’s Heathrow Airport a few years ago.