F.A.A. Official Scrapped Tape of 9/11 Controllers' Statement

Isn't there a backup tape?
The amazing thing about this, other than the stupidity of the act, is my question of whether or not there is a back-up taping system for all transmissions? I can't believe such a back-up taping system does not exist. Even if the cassette or disk was destroyed, the back-up taping system would save the information.

BBB

The tape that was destroyed wasn't of the air to ground transmissions (or any other for that matter..).

From the story: "The taping began before noon on Sept. 11 at the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center, in Ronkonkoma, on Long Island, where about 16 people met in a basement conference room known as "the Bat Cave" and passed around a microphone, each recalling his or her version of the events a few hours earlier."

But the direct answer to your question is "No". Each Air Traffic facility has recorders but there is only one recording any given frequency at any time. There are back-up recorders but they only kick in when the primary recorder fails. There aren't two recorders running on the same frequency, in the same area, at the same time. When there is an incident there is only one tape recording of all the transmissions with that plane.

fishin
Fishin, thanks for the info. Now I understand.

BBB

(This FAA moron should still be slapped though! )

BBB
WHACK!

Did someone mention cover up? How could they even conceive of such a thing with a governmental agency that deals with life and death situations on a daily basis. It must have been due to job stress, which all air traffic controllers have. I did in Vietnam as an Army Pathfinder.