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Bloviating Zeppelin: Your Last Flight

Bloviating Zeppelin

(in-ep-toc'-ra-cy) - a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

Monday, January 30, 2006

Your Last Flight



On September 11th, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757, was delayed 41 minutes on the ground in Newark, New Jersey, enroute San Francisco. It was waiting for heavy runway traffic to clear.

Flight 93 finally became airborne at 8:42 AM.

Around 9:22, at least three of the four hijackers on board stood up and put red bandanas around their heads. Two of them forced their way into the cockpit. One took the loudspeaker microphone, not knowing that it could also be heard by flight controllers, and said that someone had a bomb onboard and that the flight was returning to the airport. He told them he was the pilot, but he spoke with an accent.

At 10:03 AM, according to the 9/11 Commission Report (other accounts give 10:06 or 10:10 AM), and as per eyewitness statements, the 757 was upside down when it crashed nose-first into an empty field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, at an estimated speed of 580 MPH. It left a crater about 115 feet deep. All 40 passengers and crew plus the four hijackers were obliterated.

The destination was supposed to be Washington, DC. The United States Capitol and the White House were probable targets, with the Capitol being the more likely of the two. Had the plane struck either building, it may not have killed anyone other than those on board the plane. Both of those buildings had been evacuated by 9:45 AM.

But as opposed to the anticipated high death count from the World Trade Center buildings, striking the Capitol would have been more symbolic than anything else -- though a horrible blow to the history of this nation.

The largest flaw in the plan was the unforeseen 41-minute delay on the ground in Newark. Absent that, the strikes may have been close to simultaneous.

And absent the passengers of Flight 93 taking it upon themselves to fight back.

The first call at 9:20 AM from Tom Burnett, in answer to his wife Deena asking if he were alright: "No. I'm on United Flight 93 from Newark to San Francisco. The plane has been hijacked. We are in the air. They've already knifed a guy. There is a bomb on board. Call the FBI."

Deena Burnett's phone rang again. Tom was there and Deena told him: "They're taking airplanes and hitting landmarks all up and down the East Coast."

"OK," Tom Burnett said. "We're going to do something. I'll call you back." The line went dead.

At about 9:55, Tom Burnett called Deena the final time and said: "A group of us is going to do something."

Deena said: "No, Tom, just sit down and don't draw attention to yourself."

"Deena," he replied, "If they're going to crash the plane into the ground, we have to do something. We can't wait for the authorities. We have to do something now."

A short time later, Todd Beamer put down the airphone he'd been using, but didn't hang up. "Are you guys ready?" Beamer asked. "Let's roll," he said.

Honor Wainio was speaking to her stepmother. "I need to go," she said. "They're getting ready to break into the cockpit. I love you. Goodbye."

One of the last conversations: "Everyone's running to first class," Sandy Bradshaw told her husband. "I've got to go. Bye."

__________________________


Fast forward to today: believing it to be your final flight, what would you have done?

__________________________


Tonight on A&E: "Flight 93." I was reminded of their sacrifice. I'm going to watch. To remember.

And never forget.

5 Comments:

Blogger TexasFred said...

It is my understanding that these sons a bitches had nothing more than box cutters...

Me: "Hostess, could you bring Mr Zeppelin and myself 2 food trays and 2 forks, we're on the way to a rag-heads ass kicking..."

Mon Jan 30, 08:40:00 AM PST  
Blogger Bloviating Zeppelin said...

"Ready on the left. . ."

"Ready on the right. . ."

"All ready on the fork and knife line. . ."

"Commence carving. . ."

Mon Jan 30, 08:58:00 AM PST  
Blogger Dionne said...

I'm soooooo glad you posted on this. I watched a documentary on 9-11 on A&E last night and they kept advertising the Flight 93 movie for tonight. I may not have a chance to do a new post before tonight but I wanted people to know about this movie so I'm glad you are posting on it. I can never watch anything on 9-11 without crying. Everyone needs to be reminded of what happened on that day so they will remember the importance of the war on terror.

Mon Jan 30, 09:30:00 AM PST  
Blogger Bloviating Zeppelin said...

LMC: I saw the same thing yesterday, the ads for the A&E movie, which made me want to write something about 93.

Your last sentence is WHY watching this movie is so important -- for EVERY American.

Mon Jan 30, 10:04:00 AM PST  
Blogger Bloviating Zeppelin said...

Whatever local channel or cable or satellite slot you have for A&E. Or you can check further at http://www.aetv.com/

Mon Jan 30, 12:37:00 PM PST  

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