Was anyone flying on 9-11-2001?
 

With that other thread about the whoops TFR - it makes me wonder......Were any of you airbourne when 9-11 happened?

If so, did you immediately land? Were you forced to divert if on a flight? Were you allowed to destination? How long before you could fly again? How did ATC handle you? etc......

Not Quite
 

I had my engine running in my tiedown spot to go to work and I was advised that all air traffic was being grounded in the entire US. They did not know when the situation would change so I shut down and drove to work. When I got there they had closed the Lab but since we had a mission flying I was allowed in. As I recall it was around a week before I could start flying again.

Bob Axsom

In Leesburg, VA on 09/11/2001
 

There was NO FLYING at KJYO and a number of other Washington, DC area airports for about one year. Three (3) months after 09/11/2001 flights out of KJYO were permitted for a day or two (2) and I was able to re-locate my plane to KOKV (which was outside the "no fly" zone). Special procedures in this area still make it challenging to fly within this area. Don't fly in or around the DC SFRA unless you have taken the required FAA training.

My sister-in law just departed on a Continental flight at 9:15 AM that morning from Indy to Memphis. They continued on to Memphis as planned. Not sure when the order was issued but it's only a 45 minute flight.

I wasn't flying that day, but I do remember how QUIET the skies were.

At any given time, I can see/hear several planes or helicopters. I live close to 2 GA airports, McChord AFB, and we're on the flight path for Sea-Tac. Most people don't realize how many aircraft operate on a daily basis...I didn't, until it all shut down for a week after 9/11...total silence that week.

I was scheduled DFW-PDX on an AA MD80 2030 that evening... obviously didn't make it. I did fly out DFW-PDX on 9/13 ... DFW was a ghost town except for lots of LEOs. About 40 pax on the MD80. A very strange scene.

TODR

It was my leg on an ACA DO-328 from CMH to LGA that morning. The nose gear was being chocked as the plane hit the first tower. So I was flying up the Hudson as those SOBs were flying down it.

9-11-01
 

I was on a commercial flight from Tampa to Salt Lake City via Phoenix, half way across the the Gulf of Mexico, when the pilot got the word to land asap. We landed in Houston,and couldn't leave for three days. TPA didn't have proper security for over a week, so no flights back home. Not enjoying Houston, chose to go on to Phoenix, but all flights to SLC cancelled. Had only two choices from the airline; go to San Diego or Reno. Went to Reno. Town empty. Hotels and casinos open but empty. Reno air races cancelled. Everybody numb.

Finally, after 5 days, able to fly back to Tampa, on a plane with 11 people on board.

I hate being stranded, away from home, and can imagine having a problem with the RV (flat tire, engine problem, etc) at some remote strip (maybe Idaho) and no tools or help to be had. I would venture to say many VAF RV pilots would fly 100 miles to lend a hand and help.

ground stop
 

Here in TX. under the DFW Class B air space there were no flights at all for 2 weeks. The only way to fly was to file a flight plan out and file back in to class B.
There was one other way to fly and that was with an instructor.
So the students could fly any time. Made a lot of pilots very hot.
I did my first flight 2 weeks prior and was in my phase 1 testing.
I know of several RVer's that got stranded.

I was a student pilot doing some early morning flying over Yuma, AZ. Tower didn't usually open until 0800; they opened early that morning, told me the airspace was closed and asked me to land. Being as KYUM is also MCAS Yuma, I figured they had an early launch, so I landed and went into work. It wasn't until I drove through the front gate and the Marine on gate duty told me what was going on that I had any idea.

PJ Seipel
RV-10 #40032