Clear the Skies - 9/11 Air Defense

Amazon.com

Strategic response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 is thoroughly analyzed in the riveting BBC documentary Clear the Skies: 9/11 Air Defense. This hourlong program examines the events on 9/11 from the perspective of U.S. domestic defense, beginning at 8:30 a.m., shortly before the first hijacked jet struck the World Trade Center towers, and ending late that afternoon when President Bush safely returned to Washington, D.C. Dozens of startling details are revealed, including the fact that only four Air Force fighters were available to defend the entire Northeastern United States; the blast doors in the North American Air Defense command center, deep within Colorado's Cheyenne Mountain, were closed for the first time since operations began in 1966; and President Bush assured reporters on Air Force One that "two-bit thugs" would not keep America down (a candid off-the-record expression of Bush's anger).

What emerges from this chronological account is the sobering conclusion that America was unprepared for this "new kind of war." But Clear the Skies also demonstrates how admirable efficiency prevailed under extreme circumstances, as Air Force pilots, reporters, and government officials share their memories of those unforgettable hours. Emphasis is placed on procedures that grounded nearly 5,000 aircraft to achieve an unprecedented state of "Air Traffic Control Zero." Actual radar footage shows how quickly this was accomplished, and a step-by-step analysis of the day's events (using file footage, photos, and dramatic reenactments) shows how the protection of America's executive chain of command was 100% successful. With a compelling combination of split-screen images and deep-background investigation, Clear the Skies offers an all-access pass to the complexities of air defense. Among the many fine DVDs that chronicle 9/11 from a variety of perspectives, this is one of the best. --Jeff Shannon

Description

The very idea of the United States being attacked by air was unimaginable and unexpected. On the morning of September 11, 2001, 14 fighter planes, dispersed among seven bases, were responsible for the country's mainland air defense; four alone responsible for the entire North East. At 9:44 a.m. an order was given that had never been attempted before, to go to Condition Air Traffic Control Zero - to clear the skies of all non-military aircraft. At that time, roughly 4,836 commercial and private planes were flying over the United States and in less than three hours the clear the skies order was fully carried out. This is the story of how, minute-by-minute, America's air defense as well as those responsible for the President's and other government officials' safety responded when the horrific events of 9/11 unfolded. Discover intriguing personal accounts from this unforgettable day as fighter pilots, air defense officials, Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, Lynne Cheney and those who were with the President at key moments tell their stories.

Customer Reviews:

More propoganda ..........2006-09-16

so it just so happens that on that day only four aircraft were available to defend that massive area of airspace? The absence of defense, the complete collapse of three buildings, one not even hit by planes and on the other side of the WTC, the admission that building WTC 7 was demolished, the live media coverage of witnesses saying how the second plane was not american, the lack of any physical evidence at sights like the pentagon of things such as the huge titanium engines which could not have burned to nothing, the reports of explosions just before the collapse.... and i have only scratched the surface. Wake up. WTC was demolished, this film is b******t.

You'd Have to Be A Truly Deficient Human Being to Call This Propaganda.......2006-05-23

As someone who was living in the Washington area on "9/11", watching this program was hard at times, especially knowing in advance what the end result would be. That said, I would recommend it to anyone who would like to understand what went on during that morning in September 2001. For those who would like to see a flip-side to this story, I would recommend the very gripping (and sometimes disturbing) film The Hamburg Cell, which details the lives of the hijackers (yes, they were real people contrary to what some seemingly disturbed individuals would claim).

As an aside, I feel compelled to point out one thing related to the assertion made by a previous reviewer that, "This is a propaganda film designed to prop up the US Government's official story about 9/11." Since someone would have to be seriously deficient as a human being (I'm talking about being a truly moronic sicko) to actually hold the view that there was no terrorist attack on that day, and I'm sure that characterization does not apply to the previous reviewer, we can safely assume that their claim was not meant to be taken seriously and should be disregarded.

Even if it was meant seriously, there is a key point that any reasonable person would be happy to take into account. "Clear the Skies" was produced by the British (yes, that's British) Broadcasting Corporation. Seeing as propaganda is one of the few things America excels at producing domestically, why would the U.S. government outsource it to the British?

In any case, as with most dubious conspiracy theories, the key argument against it is the sheer number of people who would have to have been involved. Considering that things like Watergate and Iran-Contra were handily exposed in periods with far less media saturation, it strains credulity to believe that something of the scope 9/11 theorists envision would not have come to light. Some true patriot with inside knowledge would have talked by now, because that's how actual conspiracies (e.g. Watergate, Iran/Contra) come to light.

This is a propaganda film designed to prop up the US Government's official story about 9/11.......2006-04-20

Here are some crucial facts that are missing from this propaganda film:

1) It is an absolute, disgusting lie that, "The very idea of the United States being attacked by air was unimaginable and unexpected."

For one thing, various agencies, including NORAD - North American Air Defense - had run several exercises involving the exact same scenario that transpired on 9/11, for years before 9/11/01.

For another thing, the US government was given very specific warnings about the upcoming attacks on 9/11 by more than 10 other countries in the months prior to 9/11, including Israel, Germany, Egypt, Russia, among others.

Even the Pentagon ran an exercise a year before 9/11 involving a Boeing 767 crashing into the Pentagon. Another similar exercise involving the same scenario was scheduled in early 2001, but was rejected for being "too unrealistic". That is because the area around the Pentagon is restricted air space, with surface to air missiles ready to shoot down anything that comes too close to the Pentagon. What happened to the Pentagon's air defense on the morning of 9/11/01? Think about that.

Anyone who bothers to do a minimal amount of education about the US Air Defense system will discover that for the last several decades, the US Air Defense has trained for and has been designed for quickly dealing with any potential threat to North American air space, including by missiles, aircraft, spacecraft, and any other object that can fly through the air. Combat ready squadrans are scattered across the continent in order to be able to intercept any aircraft over any part of North American air space within about 15 minutes. There is very scrict procedures in place well before 9/11/01 that requires all aircraft acting errantly, such as loss of communication, going off course, loss ot transponder, etc., to be intercepted. No permission was required for these kinds of intercepts to be made, prior to 9/11/01. But, Dick Chaney had Donald Rumsfield issue a directive just before 9/11/01 to change those procedures, requiring them to get permission from Donald Rumsfield before sending out an intercept. Why did he do that when the system was working so well before that? And, why did he change that rule after 9/11/01 to the way it was before?

2) An average of about 100 aircraft per year, both before and after 9/11/01, have been intercepted by NORAD, and the average intercept time was between 10 and 15 minutes. This very competent and efficent Air Defense System - the world's best - has been in place for several decades. But, on 9/11/01 NORAD went AWOL. Hijacked planes were allowed to fly around US airspace for more than 1 and a half hours after knowledge of hijackings was confirmed. Why?

What else it the government lying about regarding 9/11? A lot! There are over 150 holes in the official government story about 9/11.

I recommend educating yourself about the truth regarding what really happened on 9/11. It is the duty of every American to know this truth and understand the threat that the criminal cabal controlling our government is posing to our democracy. Watch the following DVDs:
The Great Conspiracy - free on google
Loose Change - free on google
9/11 Revisited - free on google

Check out the following web sites:
[...] - Schollars for 9/11 Truth

Please, look at all the evidence for yourself and find out the truth. That's all I ask. Get all the facts, especially those that the government is covering up. Then, decide what you are going to do to get our country back from these fascists.

Educate yourself. Don't just accept what is spoon-fed to you by the government or the mainstream media.

Great Timeline of 9/11.......2006-01-07

This DVD is a must for those that want to understand the timeline of events for Sept. 11th. It is a very good
depiction of how the events of that day were dealt with
and how the continuity of government plan is supposed to work.
Kudos to ALL the air traffic controlers who put everything on the ground safely in just a matter of hours!

9/11:The whole story.......2005-10-13

When looking back at 9/11, many details and sidelights present the whole story. The clearing of the US airspace was certainly an important part. This video gives and impressive account on how this was accomplished. It should be part of anyone's video collections of the events surrounding this horrific day.

Average customer rating:

Idaho in it's pure form
"There's actually a place to LAND in there??"
Armchair bush pilots dream come true
Idaho Exposed and enjoyed
What an amazing DVD

Idaho Exposed

Manufacturer: http://www.griffinstudios.tv
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000C11M3G

Product Description

Fly along on a tour of some of the most beautiful country in the world. Your veteran guide to the secret gems of the River of No Return Wilderness Area is Idaho bush pilot, Herb Millhorn. Rugged canyons and mountain tops are the setting for this spectacular demonstration of flying skill as Herb lands his Cessna 185 Skywagon on risky airstrips. Get a taste of the recreational opportunities that only exist in this remote area of Central Idaho; world-class fishing, hunting, river rafting, camping, and horseback riding. Idaho Exposed is your exclusive ticket to fly with Herb from his private runway to airstrips on the main and middle forks of the Salmon River. You will never look at Idaho flying, or Idaho scenery, in the same way again. For more detail, pictures and video samples, please see our website at http://www.griffinstudios.tv

Customer Reviews:

Idaho in it's pure form.......2006-12-16

I am not a pilot, but been in Idaho a few times, this DVD show's of
the wild side of this state.

"There's actually a place to LAND in there??".......2006-12-13

It's hard to add much to the other reviews above, only confirm them. Having flown for a few years now this is something completely new. We don't have much bush flying up here in western NY needless to say, so this is really my first introduction as to what it's all about. We've all heard the term but I've learned a new appreciation for it now. I always knew the term meant putting an airplane into small places in the middle of nowhere but I always imagined somewhat of a visible airstrip. Oh, these are visible alright, like, after you've touched down maybe! The video does start out a little slowly but soon it progresses from nicely groomed, well established grass strips to ever more difficult places that represent more of a path than a strip. You seriously can't even see exactly where he's going to land on some of them until after you hear the stall horn and you've almost touched down. You think you're pretty good with an airplane? I'm amazed at the kind of places a plane can actually be landed (and still reused!) and learned a whole new appreciation for the term "bush pilot". The narration is just right, he doesn't overdo anything and he just lets the film speak for itself. This is a fascinating video with awe-inspiring scenery and let me tell you, this guy can fly!

Armchair bush pilots dream come true.......2006-08-08

A must have for any pilot. A beautiful show of some of the Idaho No Return Wilderness area. Its amazing to watch the Skywagon get in and out of strips that would make most pilot cringe. Beautiful scenery coupled with a workhorse of a plane. This video has convinced me to get into a mountain flying school and head out next summer.

Idaho Exposed and enjoyed.......2006-05-17

Any pilot would appreciate seeing this video. It is not an instructional video but just a day of flying into some of Idaho's bush country strips. What is amazing is that the difficulty factor goes up on each successive strip visit.

Truly awesome but also enjoyable for anybody who loves the forest and back country trips.

Loved every minute of it.

Jack D, Pittsburgh, PA

What an amazing DVD.......2005-12-07

What a great DVD!! :-)) I viewed the first flights, and the tried them to refly in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 with a DHC2- Beaver and an HighRes DEM. Unfortunately I got lost on the first step from Johnson Creek to Big Creek ;-), what a labyrinth! *Don't tell anybody!* I used my GPS to find my way back to U60.

This DVD gives you a great opportunity to take a look into "mountain flying". If I could, I would give it 7 from 5 stars. :-))

Regards

Boerries (Just a "Simulator Pilot" ;-) )

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Bush Pilot
Starring: Rochelle Hudson , Jack LaRue , Austin Willis , Frank Perry , and Florynce Kennedy
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000784XJY
Release Date: 2005-02-22

60º North At 500 Feet: A Bush Pilot's View of Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories and British Columbia

Average customer rating:

Low and slow over magnificent scenery

60º North At 500 Feet: A Bush Pilot's View of Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories and British Columbia

Manufacturer: Bush Cat, LLC
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Features:

English and German Versions Included
Run Time: 66 minutes
DVD with Dolby Digital Sound
Widescreen Format - Automatically letterboxes on your standard television.

ASIN: B000JK2LNA

Product Description

60º North at 500 Feet: A Bush Pilot's View of British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Alaska Above the 60th parallel lies a land of rugged wilderness and scenic splendor. On this grand stage, one bush pilot, his de Havilland Beaver, and his faithful canine make an epic 2000 mile journey few have ever completed. Experience what movie critics call "a combination of Warren Miller and Endless Summer for the wilderness adventurer." Take the co-pilot seat as the gold standard of bush planes transports you across ten mountain ranges, vast expanses of tundra, immense glaciers, snow capped volcanoes and magnificent waterfalls at an altitude and visual perspective that no hikers or climbers have ever experienced. This hour long aerial-shot video encapsulates an entire summer of flying in British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Alaska. It's a ride you won't want to miss. Sparsely narrated, rich in scenery and music, this video was produced to be seen again and again. If you have ever dreamed of seeing the northern wilderness as it was 100 years ago, then you must add this critically acclaimed video to your collection.

Customer Reviews:

Low and slow over magnificent scenery.......2007-09-05

I attended the EAA "AirVenture" in Oshkosh, Wisconsin this past summer. While I was there, I saw posters advertising this movie. I didn't get to see one of the showings, and so didn't know what I was missing.

And then, on one of my walkabouts through the convention grounds, I spotted a blue Beaver aircraft. Next to it was a person selling DVDs, t-shirts, etc. Turned out to be Mike Lunenschloss, the guy who made the movie. We talked for awhile, and I ended up buying not only the DVD, but a t-shirt as well (I couldn't help but support a wonderful guy and an imaginative entrepreneur!).

Watched the movie when I got home and was pleasantly surprised. Not a super-big production - just a guy, a dog and an airplane flying low and slow over Canada and Alaska. Just the kind of journey I would love to take. Stopping in at various locations, talking to interesting people, then taking off for the next place.

Too many times we zoom over our beautiful country at 40,000 feet, munching on some snack and peering out over a un-interesting landscape. Mike gets right down there, producing some truly spectacular images.

What a fun movie!

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