QUIET AIR HERO IS CAPTAIN AMERICA

NY Post ^

[traumer]

SUPERPILOT LAUDED FROM APPLE TO DC

After hero Capt. Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III turned the Hudson from a river into a runway, his co-pilot beamed.

"No one has ever pulled this off," Jeff Skiles said as they floated in a rescue boat, according to passenger Billy Campbell, 49. "You've done something amazing!"

Sullenberger did not seem all that impressed, Campbell told The Post.

But when Campbell thanked the pilot for saving their lives, he did say, "You're welcome."

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Such humility is not surprising to friends and colleagues of the US Airways pilot.

NTSB board member Kitty Higgins said Thursday's feat "has to go down the most successful ditching in aviation history." But to Sullenberger and his brother pilots, it's just another day's work.

Even after Sullenberger had a little more time to reflect on his heroics, he seemed uncomfortable with the attention, officials with the pilots union said.

"I spoke to him last night and he seemed overwhelmed by all of this - he prefers to be a quiet professional," said James Ray, a spokesman for the US Airline Pilots Association. "But he and the whole crew all seem to be in good shape."

Fighting back tears, Sullenberger's wife, Lorrie, said: "We are very proud of dad."

She said it's "a little weird" to hear the whole world call her husband a hero.

When their two daughters, Kate, 15, and Kelly, 14, went to sleep the night of their father's feat, "I could hear them talking, 'Is this weird or what?' " she said.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Generally, you're absolutely correct - all the seeming hero-worship makes me feel a little uncomfortable. But, on the other hand, there are scores of professional, competent, well-intentioned pilots and co-pilots out there who would have made a wrong choice and taken some, or everyone with them.

Trying to turn back...trying to make it to another runway....coming it too steep or fast...trying to stall the last 10 feet: many crashes are punctuated by one bad decision. Everything in these two guys professional lives seems to have come to these few minutes and led them to make all the right calls.

And that's really cool to see.

And in this case, the city's emergency services really seemed like unimportant Johnny Come Lately's. Seeing the passengers take care of themselves so quickly, and the ferries respond immediately, competently and unflinching was also really nice.

To me the whole situation wasn't "Oh my God! Did you see that!!!!" but one that you have to smile at because it reminds you that for all the jerks and morons in the world, once in a while a group of people from different walks of life can come together like a well practiced machine and do everything right in a bad situation.

[piytar]

Ditching a small plane in the water is an entirely different thing than ditching a passenger jet. And simulators are a far cry from the pressure of reality in this circumstance.

[Mark was here]

I too think the pilot did a great job.

[Clemenza]

I’ve had mostly negative experiences with US Air, although my first flight in the “America West”/Doug Parker era to Madrid was actually quite pleasant compared to earlier flights (where I had to put up with rude flight attendents, regular delays, and the scum that work in the US Air terminal at PHL).

[thecodont]

Everything in these two guys professional lives seems to have come to these few minutes and led them to make all the right calls.

Everyone involved--pilot and crew, passengers, ferries--made the right decision at the right time.

It reminds me of the book "Your Pilot's License" which contained the all-important phrase: RELAX AND THINK.

[ruthles]

although i agree with you, it was the passengers who opened the emergency doors

[maine-iac7]

I'll say this again. I don't think this pilot did anything that any other professional pilot couldn't and wouldn't have done under the same circumstance.

Say it all you want - doesn't make it true. Bringing in a dead plane on water and not loosing a soul - pretty rare.

There are plenty of water crashes that turned out much different. Why don't you present all the accounts of water ditches that turned out like this one?

Professionals have a different view than you: "The achievement of Captain Chesley Sullenberger in getting his plane down safely has astonished pilots and aviation experts"

video

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7834499.stm

And of some folk, it can truly be said":

[Cyber Ninja]

As an individual, in America, it’s a team effort.

[maine-iac7]

Yeah ... sue the s**t out of those Canadian geese.

"Canada Geese"

They may, or may not be Canadian citizens. Could be, but could be American born, could be illegal aliens -

But in any case, they are "Canada..." not Canadian

[Cyber Ninja]

Most American heroes don’t get to show off like this guy has been forced to. We just do our jobs. Heroes are. They don’t need a spotlight like, you, maybe?

[maine-iac7]

from a video of a pilot that I posted, this is something that cannot be successfully practiced in a simulator.

In addition, he had only moments to react and bring this dead hunk down successfully = get it to angle in, glide this heavy behemoth in and miss the city and the bridge.

Here's a nice "safe" landing on a smooth lake

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=bc0_1191939131

BTW, I'll take my son-in-law's word on it - he's been flying and instructing in P-3's and Orions for some years.

[Secret Agent Man]

I would say any professional pilot would have TRIED to the the same things he did, but whether or not they could actually pull them off like he did, that’s another thing.

I think you’re underestimating how difficult a water landing is, and how amazing the thing didn’t have a wing dip in and cause the plane to break up or cartwheel. Or start a fire as the thing had full fuel tanks.

They also had a number of things going for them that may not always be there in a water landing. They were lucky it was cold water (cold water is denser/harder surface than warmer water), it wasn’t a very choppy surface, where they went down was an area where many ferries have their docking area, etc.

[Trajan88]

I heard on the radio that there’s only been 3-4 “voluntary” water landings ever... this may be the only one with survivors (not a 100% sure though).

This pilot/co-pilot deserves the acolades... unbreakable!

[maine-iac7]

like you moniker, Secret Agent Man.
My favorite Secret Agent Man died this week - Patrick McGoohan

[appeal2]

I can picture him faithfully completing his pilot’s log with a water logged pen on a wet page.

[Secret Agent Man]

Yup, Number 5 left the island this week.

[Wil H]

You missed the salient feature of his resume..

He’s a GLIDER Pilot too...

He is a flight instructor and is rated in gliders, which means he has a lot of experience of executing “dead stick” landings.

Of course an Airbus doesn’t glide the same as a competition glider but the principle is the same when it comes to bleeding off altitude without increasing speed and managing the flare out and touch dowm.

[Doe Eyes]

I heard on the radio that there’s only been 3-4 “voluntary” water landings ever... this may be the only one with survivors (not a 100% sure though).

About 50 people survived this one.

Air crash In the Comoros Islands caused by hijackers

[Othniel]

I understand the point that the pilot did what he was trained to, big deal as far as that goes, but to save 155 people in a calm, cool, professional manner, without the bells, whistles, and "Hey, Everyone, look at ME!" that so often comes today makes the guy, well, stand out.

He's kind of a throwback to another era. Neil Armstrong almost lost his life practicing in this jet thingee that simulated the lunar lander. In the vid, it pitches in a crazy way, Armstrong ejects, and the craft crashes about 2 seconds later. When asked by Alan Bean, "Hey, Neil, did you crash the simulator today?" Armstrong replied, "Yup." and went on with what he was doing. No quivering lip, no big descriptions. Just a pro doing his job. A really amazing job, both then and when he & Aldrin landed on the moon, but a trained pro.

[BluH2o]

But in any case, they are "Canada..." not Canadian

OK ... OK ... Canada geese!
Fact is I'm originally from Canada, even hunted them as a young man. As I recall we simply referred to them as geese, or, I'm going goose hunting. Lived in eastern Canada on their migratory route ... really impressive to see those guys winging along in their classic V formation.