Macdill to Downtown Tampa at Barnett Plaza (now the Bank America building) in a straight line over the bay might be three, maybe 5 miles. Not that far in a aircraft and easily identifiable from the air, probably the easiest referenced landmarks from that side of the bay heading east. Just came from downtown (went to the circus) and the Kennedy exit off the Crosstown is blocked, everything is getting routed down Brorein to Cleveland and Bayshore to get around downtown.
---max
Well, yeah, you're right. I remember my trips by car on the Crosstown. Seems far from MacDill to downtown that way. For all I know, this kid flew over my neighborhood if he went from St. Pete Clwtr Airport to MacDill.
I think it was suicide - maybe a copycatter but no connection to the main terrorist networks. He obviously knew on a clear day that he was flying into a building.