[MrsEmmaPeel]

A Cessna can approach the Whitehouse by flying down the street, below the rooftops of most buildings. Its not as good a target for missiles etc as a bigger, faster airplane, or a slower truck or van. At slow speed and low altitude heat-seeking missiles would be more likely to take out a UPS truck than a Cessna. (A UPS truck put out more heat than a Cessna). A slow low flying aircraft with a good pilot has a better change of evading a missile because he can make rapid turns. (small radius)

Thanks for the Hottie comment! LOL! Don't underestimate the threat of a Cessna. Terrorists will use the tools that they have available to their biggest advantage and they will probe our weeknesses to learn how to use them even more effectively (from their perspective).

[RobRoy]

Oh, I definitely think this plane should have been shot down.

But I don't think the risk is as great as people think. Needless to say, it was proven not to be in this case.

In my building, a few months after 911, someone spilles powdered sugar off a donut onto the carpet. The building was evacuated and fire, police, and hazard waste people were called in. It was beyond stupid.

In fact, the next day there was a memo circulated around the building asking people to please be understanding of the person who called it in.

If I had been standing next to the person when they saw it, I'd have stuck my finger in it and tried a taste.

All that said, the plane should have been shot down. We are at war and some "mistakes" are gonna cost ya.

[xone]

'A slow low flying aircraft with a good pilot has a better change of evading a missile because he can make rapid turns. (small radius)'

Approach turn stall. If they were going to shootdown the plane, they would likely gun it.

'At slow speed and low altitude heat-seeking missiles would be more likely to take out a UPS truck than a Cessna'

No, the missile would just break lock and go stupid. More likely you would never get tone.