Hani Hanjour
He was the pilot who steered American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon, executing one of the deadliest acts of terrorism on U.S. soil.
1972–2001 (age 29)·Saudi terrorist and 9/11 hijacker·Birthday: August 30·Generation X
Biography
Hani Hanjour was a Saudi national who became a central operative in the September 11 attacks. His path to infamy was one of determined, shadowy preparation. He first came to the United States in the early 1990s for English language study, later returning for flight training in Arizona and Florida. Federal investigators later noted his flying skills were mediocre, but his commitment to the extremist cause was absolute. Chosen by al-Qaeda planners for his U.S. visa and prior stateside experience, he entered the country again in late 2000 to begin final training. On the morning of September 11, 2001, he took the controls of Flight 77 after the hijacking. His specific, grim task was to navigate the Boeing 757 away from its Washington D.C. course and execute a difficult, descending turn to crash it into the western façade of the Pentagon, killing 189 people on the plane and on the ground. His action cemented the coordinated, multi-target scale of the day's horrors.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Hani was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Hani Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Hani's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2001Died at 29
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
Key Achievements
- Successfully piloted American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon as part of the 9/11 attacks.
- Was one of only four hijacker-pilots trusted to control the aircraft on September 11th.
- Obtained a commercial pilot license in the United States, which facilitated his role in the plot.
Did You Know?
In 1996, a flight instructor in Arizona noted Hanjour had poor piloting skills and struggled with English.
He briefly lived in Hollywood, Florida, while undergoing flight training.
A FBI report stated he was the first of the 9/11 hijackers to arrive in the United States for the operation.
“The time for training is over; this is the time for the real thing.”
