Posted on 01/18/2009 10:40:56 AM PST by my_pointy_head_is_sharp
The pilot of a crippled US Airways jetliner made a split-second decision to put down in the Hudson River because trying to return to the airport after birds knocked out both engines could have led to a catastrophic crash in a populated neighborhood, he told investigators Saturday.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
.....and pretty good damn seamanship!!
IMHO he, as you surmise, did make the correct decision.
Your calculation he could have made either aiport with a mile to spare could have ended up a mile to go after course corrections and maneuvering for runway alignment. When he made the 180 degree turn to return to the airport he lost a lot of altitude and that is the moment he knew either airport was not an option.
Speed and altitude are a pilots best friend and Sulley had neither. Bob Hoover used to put on an amazing air show exibition in an Aero Commander twin that is the best display of deadstick flying ever. He showed how altitude can be converted to energy (speed) and energy (speed) can be converted to altitude, neither of which Sulley had.
If you look at the flight path after the 180 degree turn you will notice he did not make any high angle turns costing him altitude but slight ones, preserving as much altitude as possible.
To land safely on a runway with the fuel on board would have required a gear down, flaps extended landing. With everything hanging out like that the drag would have been increased, slowing the plane even more and shortening the distance he would have been able to glide and possibly coming in short of the runway and ending in disaster. Everybody is alive, no break up, no explosion or fire. He did the best he could and what else matters?
The very fact that you are comfortable calling yourself the cats meow is a glaring example of why you are not the cat's meow.
He was also lucky it was winter. In the summer the Hudson is full of pleasure boaters not matter the day of the week.
Obviously. I was just trying to make conservation about the possibilities.
No, the most logical choice would have been to land on a runway as the tower was advising him to do.
Altutude and speed are the life of an aircraft and the professional judgment involved was Sullenberger's quick evaluation of the fact that he was, in his own words, "Too low and too slow" and his rejection of the tower's advice.
Only after that professional judgment was made does it become "obvious" to land in the river instead of landing on a neighborhood.
I don’t see where reducing oneself to an object for display to a bunch of television obsessed gawkers benefits anyone. Not everything needs to be reduced to a spectacle. This just feeds the circus. It would have be much more honorable to avoid the limelight and entirely banal interview questions.
“Only after that professional judgment was made does it become “obvious” to land in the river instead of landing on a neighborhood.”
Exactly right. That is why the person flying the plane is referred to as the “Pilot in command”.
He is a glider pilot and specificly says on the transcript that he couldn't make it to Teterboro. The river was his only option. I'm more than willing to accept his judgement in this case.
AIM-54, you mentioned that he lacks integrity by becoming a part of the media circus. That is so unbelievably harsh. I think that Sullenberger displays integrity in action. I don't think you'll find a better example of that.
My only problem is with the person with whom he chose to do the interview. However, one morning show is as bad as the other; there's really not much to choose from. BUT WHY SHOULDN'T HE DO AN INTERVIEW? Why does that show a lack of integrity? Here he's done an amazing thing - landed a plane safely in the middle of the Hudson River, under extraordinary circumstances, with no casualties. He's got to know that people are eager to see him. Frankly, I think it would be selfish of him not to do an interview. Remember Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon? I could be wrong, but to my knowledge he never gave an interview.
Sullenberger is going down in the history books. He's already got a Wikipedia page! And people are going to remember this for a long, long time. It's good to have our heroes talk to us. His integrity should be an example to all of us.
Actually, most of us want to hear him, even those of us on FR.
We are angry at the media, certainly not at this hero.
I read that Sullenberger suffered pay cuts, and lost his pension, due to the mess in the airline industry. Actually, the whole country is in a mess - every sector, every industry. That's because there aren't any men (or women) like Sullenberger in charge. Sullenberger found his talent and has lived it, with integrity. The others wouldn't know integrity if it smacked them in the face.
I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and assert his employer is “convincing” him to go for the PR.
“Ditching an airplane is very difficult, one mistake and the airplane goes cartwheeling down the surface while tearing itself apart.”
Your right.. It is not a piece of cake.
One only needs to look at the video of the 747, that tried to ditch in the Indian Ocean.
Remember, the distance from the wing to the surface is very
little when your not sitting on a landing gear.
One slight tip down of the wing, and it is all over.
From all I've heard about him he has plenty of integrity...probably more than all of us, including you and me.
I know he smarter than you and me, unless you are a member of Mensa, which I see no indication..
Back in my flying days I learned that this sort of wishful thinking is why many power off emergencies ended in tragedy.
In your mind, I guess. I think this pilot should be all over the place getting his fifteen minutes of "gawker" fame because you and I both know he deserves much more! This story must be told as much as possible in the shadow of history.
I think your sentiments are nothing but prissy and petty.
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