Co-pilot Braved Frigid Waters to Retrieve Vests for Passengers (Our Hometown Boy Did Good!)

JSOnline ^ | January 16, 2009 | Stacy Forster

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Oregon, WI - The water in the Hudson River was so cold Thursday afternoon that US Airways co-pilot Jeffrey Skiles' legs were immediately numb, his wife said today.

Barbara Skiles said her husband, 49, was walking through the plane to find more life vests for people who had exited without them. The quick response from New York City's police and fire departments, as well as ferries and other boats that helped bring passengers to safety, was a key reason no one was injured or killed, she said.

All 155 passengers on the US Airways flight were rescued and brought to safety after the plane hit a flock of birds following takeoff from New York's LaGuardia Airport, lost power to both engines and had to land in the Hudson River.

"He did say that it was amazing the help that they got; how quickly boats were at the side of the airplane," she said.

Barbara Skiles said her husband lost his cell phone in the incident but used a borrowed phone to call her with news about the accident.

"'We had to ditch the plane in the Hudson, I want you to know I'm OK and I think we got everybody off OK,'" she said he told her. She said she's spoken with him a couple more times from his hotel room, but isn't sure when he'll be home.

"I think it's still sinking in," she said of how he's feeling. "He just really doesn't know how things are going to happen from here."

Jeffrey Skiles got his private pilot's license when he was a teenager and has been flying professionally since his early 20s, spending the past 23 years flying for US Airways, Barbara Skiles said.

Barbara Skiles and the couple's three children, ages 17, 15 and 12, spent Thursday evening watching TV coverage for more news about the incident, and were hoping media attention dies down soon so they can get back to their normal lives.

"We're so grateful," she said, fighting back tears. "Not just for Jeff but for everybody on the plane."

She said she's always worried more about Jeffrey Skiles driving to airports in Chicago and Milwaukee than flying.

"If you're going to be in an airplane disaster, you couldn't ask for a better ending," she said.

[Doe Eyes]

Thank goodness there wasn’t an affirmative action pilot at the controls.

You mean a Negro?

[Terry Mross]

If Reagan honored him at the State address, I guess that means he didn’t die. Seriously, he lived and they made a TV movie that centered on him. He worked out a lot and said that’s why he could do what he did.

[Golddigger3]

Everyone should read this gripping, inspiring account of Flight 90! You’ll certainly be glad you did.

Thanks to big’ol_freeper for giving us this link earlier in the thread:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Florida_Flight_90

[JudgemAll]

The quick response from New York City's police and fire departments, as well as ferries and other boats that helped bring passengers to safety, was a key reason no one was injured or killed, she said.

ah. pesky evil capitalist yachters and customers. They owe Gore some carbon credits for this rescue.(/s)

[Golddigger3]

Everyone should read this gripping, inspiring account of Flight 90! You’ll certainly be glad you did.

Thanks to big’ol_freeper for giving us this link earlier in the thread:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Florida_Flight_90

[Golddigger3]

The quick response from New York City's police and fire departments

Lucky they didn't land off the shores of Chicago. Last April a semi flipped my Jeep on the Dan Ryan Expressway just North of downtown. It took the ambulance at least 20 minutes to get to me with no traffic.

I asked the parametic if it had been a life-threatening situation would they have come earlier - he said no!

[Red_Devil 232]

Hey AlGore has his houseboat! He dubbed it Bio-Solar One (B.S. One). Heheeheee B.S. One! The engines are bio-diesel fueled and probably gelled up right now!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thanks!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Thank goodness there wasn’t an affirmative action pilot at the controls.”

Well, Silly. You can tell those crashes by the LACK of survivors! ;)

[Lady GOP]

Nothing on your guy but more on the pilot:

Fortunately for the 150 passengers aboard Flight 1549, Sullenberger also happens to be one of the aviation community’s foremost safety experts - and he’s a certified glider pilot.

A day after the amazing incident, Sullenberger was in good spirits and showing no outward signs of stress from the ordeal, a pilots union official said.

Sullenberger, 57, has four decades of flight experience under his belt, including a stint as an Air Force fighter pilot.

[Intolerant in NJ]

One of the pilots literally gave the shirt off his back to one of the passengers who was about to go into shock because of the cold water - showed the guy on TV today still searing the shirt with the pilot’s rank insignia on the epaulets - at last a couple of genuine heroes the country can really admire, unlike certain vastly overblown phonies like the one about to be inaugurated president who shall go nameless.......

[Donna in Decatur]

I just found out this morning that the pilot graduated from Purdue University in 1973 in psycology so he has some Hoosier roots too.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Now that's a winning combination, Badger + Hoosier. (Except in competitive sports, of course! :)

[Monkey Face]

*gasp*
I’m feeling a little faint, what with all the chocolate references on this thread.

*help*

*thunk*

[null and void]

I’ll save you Nell!

[Monkey Face]

My hero!

*swoon*

[null and void]

*catch*

[Monkey Face]

Wh..where am I?
Am I alive?
*sigh*

[null and void]

You are in heaven, or my arms. It’s hard to tell the difference sometimes...

[Monkey Face]

You have the chocolate, right?
I know where I am, then... ;o]