Saturday, September 11, 2021, will mark the 20-year anniversary of the attacks which took place at the World Trade Center in New York City, The Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and onboard United Airlines Flight 93 which would come to an end in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. For those who lived through those times, they will never be forgotten. As a way to remember those lost and honor the memory of the day, EAA has been hosting an event each 9/11 to pay tribute to the heroes of that time period. This year we are having a special guest, made possible by the New York Police City Department.
NYPD helicopter pilot Lt. Richard Knoeller will join us at the EAA Aviation Museum on Saturday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. for a special presentation to honor 9/11. Lt. Knoeller’s story started on the morning of 9/11. He was all set to solo an airplane on the way to getting his certificate. Ground fog kept him from getting in the air that morning. After hearing reports that an airplane had struck the World Trade Center, he made his way there to check on his brother-in-law, who worked in one of the towers. While on-site, one of the towers began to fall. He managed to ride his motorcycle through falling debris in order to get clear of the crumbling building.
Today, Lt. Knoeller flies helicopters for the NYPD. These helicopters are equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance equipment, which allows them to keep the citizens of New York safe. The focus of Lt. Knoeller’s talk will be the events of 9/11 as well as his role in the NYPD Aviation Unit.