(Washington, DC — Jim Hilgen, WAMU) In the days after the 9/11 attacks, one of the more eerie aspects of life across the country was the lack of airplanes roaring overhead. Most airports were shut down for two days. But Reagan National Airport, serving Washington, D.C. was closed for more than three weeks.

Where were you on the morning of September 11^th, 2001? For Chris Brown the answer is easy. He was at work, in the midst of a routine day as manager of Reagan National Airport. Brown recalls thinking the weather in New York must have been pretty bad when he was told a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. Shortly afterward he saw things in a different light.

“When I saw the video my conclusion was that this was a crime, and I told my assistant, “We’re in this.” recalls Brown.

While his work as airport manager didn’t allow him much time for personal reflection, he and his staff knew they were working through a day to remember.

After Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, Brown went about the work of securing the airport…a task complicated by the sight of burning paper from the smoke plume out of the Pentagon landing on the airport, and what he refers to as “self-evacuation” which resulted in vehicles being abandoned with motors running, shops left with full cash registers and restaurant ovens still on.

Most airports across the country were back in business by week’s end, but Reagan remained idle for 23 days. Brown attributes that lengthy closure to federal officials’ fears that the airport’s proximity to the nation’s capital posed a continuing threat. In his efforts to get Reagan up and running he relied, in part on his military experience as a former Navy pilot.

“There are things you can do,” Brown recalls saying, “ so we began to illustrate those in terms of how can we get commercial aircraft to behave in a way that authenticates and confirms who they are, and what they’re doing in a way that complies with all the safety requirements.”

Among the many security measures established since 9/11, Brown believes the installation of hardened cockpit doors has been most effective tool in keeping air travelers safe.

On the concourse at Reagan these days, as with any airport, people pass the time by reading, checking their e-mail, shopping, or eating. Craig Southworth is waiting for a flight to take him home to Utah. Even with the anniversary of the terror attacks approaching, he feels secure taking to the skies. As for the need to arrive early to clear security hurdles, Southworth takes that in stride.

Not so, says Wilson Goodwin of Las Vegas. He believes randomly singling out unlikely suspects is a waste of time, energy and money.

“I think some of the methods they’re going to are too extreme,” said Goodwin, “Unfortunately, I would say profiling would be better than what they are doing.”

But Chris Brown, who now manages Dulles Airport, says current security measures aren’t going anywhere., adding that he’s satisfied those measures are sufficient to ward off future threats.

“Is it enough?” asks Brown. He answers that,,” it’s certainly enough for my family. I continue to fly, and is it anything guaranteed? No!”

On Sunday, September 11, 2011, Brown will be at work marking the moment when, 10 years ago, American travel changed forever.