You have all singularily failed to involve airport security, save to say that they would allow GPS and boxcutters on board without a backward glance.
Having flown into and out of the U.S. on numerous occasions prior to 9/11, let me offer the following:
1) I was able to fly into the U.S. from
another country (Canada) having provided no more than a birth certificate and a driver's license as identification (and at one time, the driver's license I had didn't even have a photo on it, just my name).
2) I was able to fly into the U.S. with a pair of somewhat hefty scissors in my carry-on luggage.
3) The flights on 9/11 were all
domestic flights, that is, they were flying from a point inside the U.S. to another point inside the U.S. The security requirements for boarding such flights were even less stringent than those minimal requirements in place for flights entering the U.S. from Canada.
(I would also note boarding the return flight from the U.S. to Canada required no more security screening than that of the initial flight into the U.S.)
Of course, subsequent to 9/11, the rules have changed considerably.
You know very well that the supposed hijackers couldn't fly a kite.
Incorrect. They knew enough to get the aircraft from point A to point B, which is all that was required.
Contrary to popular belief, flying, is actually reasonably easy. Landing and taking off, and flying in bad weather, those are the areas that are difficult.
