I have had two questions for months in regard to 9/11.
1. How did the terrorists know specifically how to locate and fly into the Pentagon and WTC? If they were above the clouds and only had minimal flight training, how could they truly even locate DC or NYC from hundreds of miles away?
2. I am puzzled about all of the reports of the cell phone calls from the PA flight that crashed. I have frequently looked at my ATT Wireless cellphone while in the air, and it always reads "No service".

Any opinions?

1. Apparently, they used hand-held GPS devices to locate their positions.

2. Cellphones do work in the air. The Wall Street Journal had an article about this a few years ago. At cruise altitude, you would be 6 miles or so from the nearest antenna, which could be a problem, but closer to the gound, they should work fine.

Bruce

since i work in the wireless industry, i will offer sage information on the latter query. the reason they don't want you to make phone calls from the air are two fold. it doesn't interfere with flight controls.

the reasons are: (1) they are trying to hog $ ($ = money) for their own phone service and (2) the wireless network on the ground not only "sees" your phone, but the network sees your phone TOO well. instead of only two or three cell sites seeing you, tens of cell sites can see you since you are so high and the network would crash. most people go to the windows in a tall building to make a call. in reality, if you are in a good area you should go to the center of the building. at the windows, too many cell sites can see you and it gets confused. from the center of the building, only the strongest cells will be picked up.

[This message has been edited by fly co to see the yanks (edited 02-19-2002).]

[This message has been edited by fly co to see the yanks (edited 02-19-2002).]

FCTSTY, is your name Mark (not another one!) ######? A little Irish blood in yer? Have a pint or two before posting? I thought you worked in finance?


[In order to protect the privacy of the individual referred to, his last name was edited out - MODERATOR2]

[This message has been edited by Moderator2 (edited 02-20-2002).]

I remember that September 11 was clear and sunny all up and down the East Coast...no clouds.

At least one of the planes that hit the WTC appeared to turn South over the Hudson and flew right down to NYC.

GPS probably helped a bunch.

We don't know but what the hijackers forced the crews to help navigate, at least part of the way. Especially if the hijackers told them that they were simply "flying to JFK/DCA," etc. without letting on about the targets.

Don't look for GPS to be allowed on AA for quite a long time, even though it does not interfere with navigation.

I imagine they practiced with Microsoft Flight Simluator.

HUH? Never had a problem with my GPS on AA nor have anybody I know that flys with a GPS. I allways ask first before using it. Somtimes pilots send me back a printout to help.

And with the correct manuals (which I think they found in a car) I am sure the planes own GPS could be used as well.

Or Terminal Reality's "Fly"

I seem to remember in the case of the Pentagon crash, that the plane did overshoot, went east, banked back and THEN crashed. The interview I saw suggested that their actual target was probably the White House, but they "settled" for the Pentagon..

I believe some of the calls were made using the onboard phones, the ones built into the seat backs.

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He that travels fastest goes alone!

MRLIMO: that's true, but mobiles will work, too, in many cases.

I used to fly BOS-SFO every week. On a clear day, you could see right down the Hudson and the twin towers in the distance. This is from the airspace up around Albany.

Additionally, the Hudson is an enormous landmark. Not too hard to follow it.

Some airline or government official said on CNN that following the Hudson River is in fact an easy way of going right to the WTC.

The hijackers of the plane that crashed into the Pentagon could have used the Washington Monument as their reference point from many miles away.