Then again, that the hijacker(s) have "significant flying experience" is not all that surprising. Anyone planning to take control of an in-flight aircraft by force, or threat of force, had better know something about how to fly it, or they'll just end up crashing and probably dying without accomplishing much. (Even if it's a suicide mission like 9/11, presumably suicide isn't the only goal -- the 9/11 hijackers wanted to take out some enemy buildings. From their point of view, losing their lives was an unfortunate but tolerable side effect, not the main objective.)