Panelists
Richard Kettell—Senior Air Traffic Control Manager, Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control Center (Cleveland ARTCC)
On September 11, 2001, Rick Kettell was the senior FAA official in charge of Cleveland ARTCC, the busiest air traffic control facility in the world. When news of multiple hijackings reached him, Kettell established a command post at the facility and actively monitored the flight path and altitude changes of Flight 93—even hearing radio messages accidentally broadcasted by the hijackers. Kettell has since retired from the FAA, but remains active in teaching managers at the FAA Learning and Leadership Institute.
Retired Lt. Col. Kevin Nasypany—Primary Mission Crew Commander, Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS)
When Major Kevin Nasypany arrived at NEADS command in Rome, NY on the morning of September 11, 2001, he was preparing for a scheduled NORAD exercise. As word of hijackings reached NEADS, the exercise was quickly abandoned and Nasypany became responsible for scrambling fighter aircraft to defend United States airspace. Today, Nasypany is retired from the United States Air Force and New York Air National Guard and lives in Florida with his wife.
Benedict Sliney—National Operations Manager, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
On September 11, 2001, Ben Sliney began his first day as the FAA’s National Operations Manager, although he had 27 years of experience in air traffic control and FAA management. When the scope of the terrorist attacks became clear, Sliney made the decision to land every plane in the air over the United States—the first time in US history that such an order had ever been given. Sliney later left the FAA to practice law and appeared as himself in the film United 93.
