Posted on 10/31/2009 5:14:34 PM PDT by Saije
THE Canada geese were flying in a V formation, cruising about 80km/h above New York City. The aircraft piloted by Captain Chesley Sullenberger was travelling at 340km/h.
In the four minutes that followed their collision 915m above the Bronx, the actions of Captain Sullenberger saved the lives of all 155 people aboard the US Airways Airbus A320.***
This week, Captain Sullenberger landed in London to receive the Master's Medal from the Guild of Air Pilots & Air Navigators on behalf of his crew and to tell the full story of his flight into the Hudson on January 15. His arrival coincides with the launch of his book, Highest Duty - compiled with impressive alacrity - which describes Flight 1549 and his life leading up to it.
He was 95 seconds into the flight from LaGuardia airport, New York, to Charlotte, North Carolina, when he saw the geese, flying in a loose V formation. "We were flying so fast ... it looked as if they weren't even moving," he writes.
***
Captain Sullenberger points out that pilot simulators do not teach pilots how to land on water.
Instead, "we have a theoretical classroom discussion", he said yesterday. "This may be something we need to consider."
He had studied past water landings, and other crashes. As an air force fighter pilot, he had seen examples of pilots who did not eject in time and struggled to rescue their already-doomed aircraft, "fearing retribution if they lost multi-million-dollar jets".
He says the lesson he learnt from those tragedies helped him to make the snap decision that saved the lives of 155 people - to abandon any hope of landing the aircraft and to bring it down in the river.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...
He resumed flying last month and as with every flight, he tried to learn something.
In his first flight, introducing himself as captain, his voice was drowned out by the cheering.
“In the second flight, when I announced myself I waited three or four seconds so that people could hear,” he said.”
Someone said he’s got a book coming out. :’)
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