9/11 Pilot Hani Hanjour Took Extra Flights to Check Out D.C. Airspace
The Saudi national prepared more carefully than the other pilots, familiarizing himself with air traffic out of Dulles airport.
Hani Hanjour, the last of the four pilots to arrive in the United States, spent extra time in the Washington, D.C. airspace before the 9/11 attacks. On August 9, 2001, he took a check ride with flight instructors at Freeway Airport in Bowie, Maryland. The day before, Hanjour used a computer at Kinko's in College Park, Maryland, researching flights and communicating with friends and relatives in Saudi Arabia.
He first came to the U.S. in October 1991 and completed his pilot's license in 1999. Despite failing to secure employment in late 1999, Hanjour joined other pilots to prepare for the 9/11 attacks. He practiced handling large commercial airliners in Mesa, Arizona, and did simulator training. By August 10, he knew his flight would depart from Dulles International Airport and spent numerous hours flying in the D.C. area, becoming the only pilot in the group to familiarize himself with the airspace.
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