A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Conspiracy theories never die, and there are more of them concerning 9/11 than you can shake a stick at, even 4+ years after. Still crops up here from time to time, and I and others waste a lot of time pointing out all the holes in the theories.

Popluar Mechanics magazine just published a very thorough study and debunking of all the most popular theories. I doubt it will put it to rest, but if you have any interest at all in the events of that day, it's worth reading. Very well done PM.

9/11: Debunking The Myths

Feel free to discuss.

(Yeah, but what if....!!! )

 

good read GT, thanks
but I did notice this

and then this

hmmm. . . .?

 

The Learjet in question had it's transponder on, was on a filed flight plan, and was in the ATC tracking system. That transponder is the ONLY thing that identifies a radar blip as being a specific plane, and it also transmits the plane's altitude. When it failed to follow it's assigned flight path, and ATC called them and got no response, they eventually (not immediately) notified the Air Force and requested that they get a visual on the plane to try to determine what was wrong. Turn off your transponder and change direction and you're just another anonymous blip on the radar. Most general aviation aircraft don't file flight plans, so there are a LOT of unidentified blips on radar all the time. ATC is not responsible for those.

 

Whilst I wouldn't necessarily disagree with your basic premise GT, I have to tell you that I have serious concerns with the lack of intellectual rigour and basic research skills of the author. I don't mean just in this case either.


I'm out

 

I understand GT. .
I was looking at. .

maybe I missed something. . . .

 

You're looking at two different incidents. The one that WAS intercepted was golfer Payne Stewart's privat Learjet in 1999. They lost cabin pressure, and all on board passed out without realizing they were in trouble. Autopilot kept flying the bird, and eventually the Air Force was asked to get a visual to find out what happened. The transponder sends out a blip every few seconds automatically, which is what kept ATC "in touch" with them, at least physically after the crew passed out. That incident was noted in the article because it is the ONLY time prior to 9/11 where the Air Force was asked to scramble for a domestic plane over US soil. And that was for humanitarian reasons, not due to a threat.

 

What specifically do you have a problem with in this article?

And it's not "the author" singular. Nine PM researchers and reporters, and 70 industry professionals, in the various fields that relate.