Gander Responds to 9/11 – Part 1: Clearing the Skies

Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Canada Aviation and Space Museum
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Published 2022-04-26
Bruce Terris is a retired tower controller who worked for NAV CANADA. He was among the team that coordinated the unprecedented landing of 38 aircraft at Gander Newfoundland’s small airport on September 11, 2001. In this first of three interviews, Bruce recalls the challenges of diverting and landing aircraft on that day.

This interview is part of the Eyes on the Skies exhibition, created by the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. Learn more about Eyes on the Skies, bit.ly/3Bm7MtO

The descriptive transcript can be found here: ingeniumcanada.org/sites/default/files/2022-04/Des…

The French version of this video can be found here:    • Gander répond au 11 septembre – Parti...  
All Comments (9)
  • @ericsprague4273
    I had the same experience. I was on a military charter coming back from deployment from Middle East to Baltimore. Plane began to have rudder mechanical issues and they couldn't turn the plane right or left. So they had to land somewhere with a straight shot in. Gander was the closest airport that had a straight shot in to land from the Atlantic approach. When we landed, we were told you cannot get your bags because they were locked in the cargo hold with some other military equipement. Keep in mind we were coming from a hot Desert and into Gander which was February. Yes it was winter. Some of my fellow airman actually had shorts on the plane. After 12 hours waiting in the small Gander Airport we were released to go out in the community because the plane was going to take a week to fix. Almost immediately after our release, the Gander community was at the airport ready to help us with cloths and food. We didn't have candian money but every business was willing to take American dollars. Keep in mind this was shortly after 9/11 so currency was different back then. It was truely a heart warming experience on what that community did for us. When I talked to a local she told me her community was use to what happened to us and that once the community gets word of a plane in trouble they respond. I would have never thought that but the people of Gander are truly incredible. That is my story. Gander will always have a place in my heart.
  • @michaelhayden725
    So professional, that they already had their mindset prepared for an event. They just did not know how many they were really going to get. Well done!
  • @crommontski4563
    Great presentation Bruce. You came a long way from Cornwall and Hay River. Glad you were where you needed to be on that day.
  • @MRBCA500
    Thanks so much for this story. On a side note have you ever been told you look like Cliff from the TV show Cheers?
  • @mikealvord55
    What’s the name of the documentary? I can’t find it. I seen it before about this whole gander business.
  • @12345fowler
    Strange, I wouldn't expect any commercial flight having to dump fuel coming from Europe when passing around Newfoundland which is maybe 2 hours of flight to JFK or any other U.S. east coast airport. Which is about more than 3/4 of their total flight time, so that they would be far under their maximum landing weight at that time.