Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaOLpeTC7hY
Suspicious minds sometimes point to the flight path of American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon on 9/11. The plane is heading straight for the building when it makes a descending turn described as things like a "corkscrew" or a "an incredibly precise diving turn " or " incredible, sweeping 270-degree descending turn"

In fact the turn is perfectly normal, and very easy to execute. The reason for the turn is to lose altitude. The turn rate was more or less a standard 2 minute 360° turn, and all he had to do was reduce throttle and turn right.

Could a pilot with limited large plane experience pull this off? I've just got some private pilot training (less than the actual hijacker had), so I though I'd have a go. See video above for the full flight.


Not only did I do the turn more or less the same, but I also ended up hitting the Pentagon is approximately the same position and angle.
I'm using X-Plane 11, with the damage setting turn on, meaning any excessive maneuvers would result in loss of control of the plane. X-Plane is a very aerodynamically accurate simulator used for actual flight training for large jets. I still managed to fly straight in at 475mph.
Another suggestion is that the turn altered where the plane hit (generally as part of a supposed plan to destroy some evidence, like the missing $2.3 Trillion). It actually made almost no difference, just a slightly different angle.

Suspicious minds sometimes point to the flight path of American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon on 9/11. The plane is heading straight for the building when it makes a descending turn described as things like a "corkscrew" or a "an incredibly precise diving turn " or " incredible, sweeping 270-degree descending turn"
In fact the turn is perfectly normal, and very easy to execute. The reason for the turn is to lose altitude. The turn rate was more or less a standard 2 minute 360° turn, and all he had to do was reduce throttle and turn right.
Could a pilot with limited large plane experience pull this off? I've just got some private pilot training (less than the actual hijacker had), so I though I'd have a go. See video above for the full flight.
Not only did I do the turn more or less the same, but I also ended up hitting the Pentagon is approximately the same position and angle.
I'm using X-Plane 11, with the damage setting turn on, meaning any excessive maneuvers would result in loss of control of the plane. X-Plane is a very aerodynamically accurate simulator used for actual flight training for large jets. I still managed to fly straight in at 475mph.
Another suggestion is that the turn altered where the plane hit (generally as part of a supposed plan to destroy some evidence, like the missing $2.3 Trillion). It actually made almost no difference, just a slightly different angle.
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