[ChadGore]

Re: I am researching possible foreign government assistance in the events of 9/11.

I call BS.

[Pondman88]

It was a conspiracy, a vast right wing-neocon conspiracy.

[AlaskaErik]

How about navigation? Just buy a Garmin or Lowrance aviation GPS and you can fly a course to anywhere. Once you have a visual on your target you hand fly to the POI. No rocket science here.

[Gay State Conservative]

It might have been "relatively simple" to hijack the planes ,and, since some of the hijackers had taken lessons,they could operate aircraft controls to some degree ; but how about the navigation?

I'm no pilot,but I suspect that with the WTC planes,they could have followed the Hudson south,found Manhattan (you can't miss it,I'm told) and from there the towers would be a piece of cake.

[patton]

VFR navigation is called "pilotage" - it is the art of looking out the friggin' window. Something weather forcasters have never mastered.

[LikeLight]

IBTZ

[thinkthenpost]

My opinion here:
The planes being relatively modern, most likely just punch in the destination's coordinates in the the autopilot/navigation system.

[wjcsux]

IB4TZ first time!

[Moose4]

Disclaimer: I'm a flight simulator geek, not a real pilot. But, some of the addon stuff available for Microsoft Flight Simulator these days is so detailed and accurate, I think the information may hold true.

The four planes that were hijacked--two 757s and two 767s--all have basically the same cockpit layout. (I personally think this is one reason these flights were picked...the 757 and 767 were specifically designed to share a type rating, so if you know one, you can fly the other with minimum fuss.) One of the displays in the cockpit is a navigation display that shows where the plane is along the track programmed into the Flight Management Computer. It also can show nearby radio navigation beacons (VORs and NDBs) and airports.

So, the hijackers get into the cockpit, and sit down. They can look at the navigation display and tell where they are; if they have charts, they can really pinpoint their position and easily figure out a course to fly back to their target, either a straight course or maybe even navigating via radio beacons. It doesn't take a whole lot of advanced planning to figure out "OK, that's KCLE, so we're about 50 miles east of Cleveland, so that means we should steer about 090 to head toward Washington, that's close enough and we'll fine-tune it later," especially if they actually brought some enroute charts along. They can even dial a course and altitude into the autopilot and let the plane fly itself while they plan more. Then once they get close, they start descending and pick up the target visually.

They didn't need a grand conspiracy. All they needed was some reading material, a little flying practice, and the willingness to do it.

}:-)4

[Blueflag]

I can tell you that from a Cessna 152 on up through a '67, navigating the aircraft from wherever they gained control to visually acquiring their targets was essentially a "no-brainer".

Whether they used the Mark-1 eyeball, hand-held Garmin GPS, LORAN, on-board instrumentation, whatever, getting to visual range was nothing.

Sadly, actaully hitting the targets after sighting them was some decent stick and rudder flying.

Morbidly, on MS Flight Simulator, with the good scenery data, you could practice hitting major landmarks over and over.

[Robe]

I have always said to those whom come up with mystical equations for 9/11... The reason they chose 9/11 was that is was VFR in most of the country..

(VFR=Visual Flight Rules=You can SEE where your going....)

[Restore]

Yep. All you gotta do is look out the window. Remember, only two fo the four planes made it to their primary target, the two tallest buildings in the world, on a severe clear day.

One was supposed to hit the White House, but the scumbags couldn't find it, so they settled for the largest building that they could identify. (The Pentagon, by the way is the largest building in the world.)

The fourth, of course didn't make it anywhere 'cept the ground.

If you're looking for some wacky aviation conspiracy, give it up.

[genefromjersey]

OK folks, you answered my questions-very clearly- and I appreciate your input and assistance.

I'm sure some of you might think the questions were stupid-which they were-but I'd rather ask friends a dumb question than climb out on a limb with a saw in my hand.

Happy flying to you all !

[HairOfTheDog]

What sort of outside assistance (if any) would have been needed ? What form do you think it would have taken ?

Absolutely none. Charts of navaids are published, GPS is common, and the navigation skills can be learned in a simulator, if not in the aircraft they trained in.

Your help would be greatly appreciated,as I am researching possible foreign government assistance in the events of 9/11.

HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!

[darkwing104]

If you did a little research, they practiced on flights into New York with smaller aircraft and on commercial flight. This act was planned well in advanced and worked out in detail.

The fools didn't count on passengers fighting back over PA. Now the passengers aren't taking any chances.