NATCA Commemorates the 23rd Anniversary of 9/11

Today marks 23 years since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. We remember those who lost their lives and commend the aviation safety professionals that were on duty that day for their bravery and hard work.

After an unprecedented shutdown of the National Airspace System was ordered, NATCA’s members across the country sprang into action to order every aircraft in their airspace to land immediately. Controllers guided 700 aircraft to land in the first four minutes, 2,800 in the first hour, and over 4,500 within the first three hours. More than million passengers landed without incident.

While many of the men and women, who were working that day and who completed that heroic effort, are no longer controlling traffic 23 years later, it fills us with great pride to honor their legacy and thank them for handling such a terrible event seamlessly, professionally, and safely.

Twenty-three years later, our nation still thanks those working that day for their steadfast dedication to the flying public and the safety of the National Airspace System.

As we get further away from that tragic day, our archive is a vital way to recount the important role that controllers played in protecting our nation from possible further attacks. We invite any member, active or retired, interested in sharing a statement describing their experiences working on 9/11 to send their email accounts to [email protected].