PORT ANGELES — When Federal Aviation Administration officials determined the Sept. 11 hijackers were not typical kidnappers seeking ransom, they immediately ordered all air traffic grounded for the first time in the nation’s history.
The only aircraft in the sky for the next two days were those connected with military, emergency, law enforcement or firefighting operations. No flights were allowed into the United States from other countries.
Commercial airlines resumed flying Sept. 13, but only from airports that had met a strict 18-point security checklist.
Some general aviation aircraft were allowed back in the sky Sept. 19, while others were flying again Sept. 21. Then National Guard troops arrived in October to relieve overworked local law enforcement personnel.
In November, additional National Guard troops were deployed, which then were replaced by local law enforcement in May 2002.
The next milestone will be in October, when the federal government takes over airport security responsibilities from local contractors.
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