this post was submitted on 19 Nov 2023
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It's my first day, how bad can it be? (lemmy.ml)
submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] beckerist 223 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Ben Sliney actually played himself in the movie United 93. It was his first day on the job, but he was pretty experienced, he previously ran all of New York City's air traffic.

I saw an interview with him maybe 15 years ago (sorry I can't find it now) but he grounded every plane in the US without approval from anyone above him on his first day as the FAA National Operation Manager (I believe he was at least 5 levels below the President).

Pretty incredible story but he knew how to react and executed the plan well.

edit: clarified some stuff and figured I should include his Wikipedia page too

[–] kautau 73 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Thanks for sharing. That’s really interesting. Also, what a way to absolutely do great on your first day. Realize there’s a massive aerospace emergency, ground all flights without approval, because approval could mean the cost of more lives. Dude deserves some praise for what he did.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Looking back at history, we're there other flights as attack vectors that a ground stop prevented from executing their plan? Or was a ground stop, albeit the correct course of action, pointless in preventing anything because the plan had already been executed in full?

[–] Land_Strider 16 points 1 year ago

Even if there weren't any planned attacks at the moment, the preventive and protective actions are usually done regardless of the temporary costs.

Without going much political, I can say that move was one of the most critical ones, maybe right after preventing nuclear warfare, because I don't want to think how much worse the American retaliation in the last 20 years would be if there was even one more kamikaze plane, especially considering that we now measure warcrimes in magnitudes of 9/11.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

As far as I can recall, no further attacks were prevented. I disagree with calling it "pointless", because it was the right decision given what was known at the time.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Now imagine what it was like for the guy who took over his old job in New York on that day.

[–] papalonian 138 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I wonder if there was a moment where he was like, "oh haha, very funny guys. Sure it just crashed into the WTC, totally."

[–] [email protected] 45 points 1 year ago (1 children)

"Awesome prank Farva."

[–] papalonian 40 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Al Qaeda: "HAHA OH SHIT I GOT YOU GOOD YOU FUCKER"

[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

"I swear to god I'll pistol whip the next guy that says 'jet fuel can't melt steel beams' ".

[–] c0mbatbag3l 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Hey Farva, what's that conspiracy you love again? With the complete lack of physics knowledge and the mechanical engineering?

[–] KGB 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Jet fuel can’t melt steel beams?

[–] c0mbatbag3l 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Ohhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

🔫

[–] kautau 7 points 1 year ago

Littering aaaaaand

Littering aaaaaand

Littering aaaaaand

Destroying the World Trade Center

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

it's just a prank bro. just a bit of light terrorism

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago

It's obviously just a hazing ritual they put the new guys through, right?.... Right guys?

[–] jeffw 57 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Damn, can you imagine that being your first day? I assume he had already been through some kind of training or had some assistance in making the decision to ground air traffic

[–] [email protected] 62 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Terrible first day, but he had a senior position at New York TRACON (which controls nearly all air traffic in New York) for years before getting the federal position. He was definitely experienced.

[–] Nurse_Robot 16 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Still a rough first day. I wonder if his relative inexperience in the position had any effect on the outcome of that day

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago

Although it was his first day in charge, Sliney had an over-25-year background in air traffic and management in the FAA.

[–] iAvicenna 49 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

This guy is going to completely ace his next job interview.

"Tell us about the last time you had to solve a difficult problem"

"Yea got a funny story about that..."

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Think of better things that happened that day.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

That video really took me back, what a vibe. And so very Berlin.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

That looks really cool.

[–] cashews_best_nut 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Are you in Czech Hunter?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Maybe. Which character do you think I am?

[–] derf82 28 points 1 year ago

It was his first day in charge, but far from his first day with the FAA. He still had a lot of experience.

He also played himself in United 93.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 year ago

Trial by fire, literally.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Coincidence?
One word. This is why there will always be conspiracy theories I guess.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yep I remember seeing this “cited” as a “dead giveaway” for the whole “inside job” theory.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

You’d think they would make it less obvious than that if they wanted to hide a conspiracy.

Funny how they always think that there are some intricate hidden conspiracies, yet that they are obvious enough that some dumbasses on Facebook can figure it out.

[–] SVcross -4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I just hope he didn't bombed his first day.