On September 11, 2001, Ben Sliney, in his first day as National Operations Manager at the FAA, ordered a ground stop for all US aircraft after terrorist attacks hit the World Trade Center and Pentagon. The decision was praised by the 9/11 Commission. Sliney later left the FAA to practice law and had a role in the film United 93.
Two jumbo jets have crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. Another hit the Pentagon and a fourth crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. In response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Ben Sliney ordered a ground stop for the entire United States. It was Sliney’s first day in his new position as National Operations Manager at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). About 4,200 aircraft were in the air when Sliney made the unprecedented decision, and all aircraft were grounded within two hours.
Read more about Ben Sliney’s decision:
The 9/9 Commission then hailed the decision as a defining moment in the chaos that morning.
Sliney was a traffic control expert, having held, among other positions, controller, supervisor at several major facilities, and operations manager and traffic management manager at New York TRACON.
Sliney later left the FAA to practice law. He was a counselor for the 2006 film United 93 and also had a small role as an air traffic controller in the film.
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