Part 6/7:
Thum described the feeling of helplessness upon realizing the trajectory of United Flight 175, which was descending towards the second tower. He stated, "It felt like you’re watching a car drive off a cliff," emphasizing the urgency and chaos of the moment.
Lessons Learned and Recommendations
Reflecting on the monumental failures and challenges of the day, Thum stressed the importance of improving security protocols at airports and enhancing air traffic control procedures to react more effectively to hijacking threats.
He suggested that transponders should be upgraded to prevent hijackers from turning them off and that active collaboration with military defenders should be improved to ensure quick response capabilities in future emergencies.