What really hit the Pentagon on 9-11? Options

[)--S@B0T-->]

Thought this was interesting, if nothing more than to ask, "Hey, what happened here"?

http://www.pentagonstrike.co.uk/flash.htm#Main

You decide.

[ScrapyardBob]

For those who have not spent time on the tarmac... as part of the noise level requirement changes back in the mid-late 90s, most jets were retrofitted with silencers or new engines.

Now, what does this mean in a practical sense? I've been on the tarmac as a 757 was taxiing away towards the runway. When the engine is pointed directly at you, very little noise, but as you got 10-20 degrees off-axis, there was a clearly audible jet engine sound which then faded away as the jet pivoted to turn around. It was not what I expected, acoustic-wise from a jet engine.

The other thought that comes to mind is that the engines may have been spooled back as they worked on hitting their target.

[Stickman]

A jet taking off is hellaciously loud; the engines run at full speed so as to gain speed and altitude as fast as possible.
A landing jet is MUCH quieter, as the engines aren't doing much more than idling as the plane slows and descends.

For what it's worth, i would expect that a nervous, novice pilot (such as one making his first landing and certain of his immenent death) to be making constant throttle adjustments as he neared his target.