Posted on 01/17/2009 2:05:00 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
They are already talking about building a statue of Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger. Lucrative book and movie deals could follow.
But even though the death-defying pilot of Flight 1549 is being celebrated as a hero, he still faces an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board that will critique his every action.
That is one of the reasons, union officials say, why he has stayed quiet as his star has risen.
"Until the NTSB says, 'He's a hero,' he's under investigation," said James Ray, a spokesman for the US Airline Pilots Association, which represents crews at US Airways. "The NTSB usually discourages people from calling anyone a hero until facts are in."
Although the NTSB has made no suggestion that Sullenberger deserves anything but praise for his handling of the accident, a complicated investigation still needs to proceed.
Sullenberger and his first officer, Jeff Skiles, were interviewed Saturday by the NTSB.
Sullenberger was seen entering a conference room of a lower Manhattan hotel, surrounded by federal investigators. The silver-haired pilot was wearing a white shirt and slacks and seemed composed. When a reporter approached him for comment, one of the officials responded: "No chance."
The pilots have already given several briefings to a union investigation team, to US Airways officials and to their own lawyers, Ray said. Pilots also routinely have a lawyer accompany them to their NTSB briefing.
He said the process was not an exercise in finger-pointing, but noted that the analysis can be rigorous, and that investigators make every effort to uncover instances of human error or mechanical failure.
But one thing is clear: Sullenberger is a publicist's dream.
"He's down in history now. And if he's handled well, with modesty and intelligence, he will remain a U.S. icon," said prominent New York City publicist Howard Rubenstein.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Unless, of course, he declares himself to be a Republican...
at which time the Democratic Party 'attack machine' will go into overdrive to discredit him, and find any and all dirt and smut that might exist.
Chesley the pilot. Joe the Plumber.
i cant wait for his interviews with the media. i cannot imagine the wars to talk to him first. unfortunately it will probably be the today show or god forbid larry king. i would have preferred fox news.
Unless he was impaired I see no reason why Sully would be found anything but a hero.

John Valentine was on the plane... he would like to give the NTSB investigators a little information!
He was interviewed by Cavuto yesterday.
Sullenberger doesn’t appear to be the type of person who needs a “handler”. He is quite capable on his own.
the pilot? u sure?
the Democratic Party/MSM will spare no effort to find anything to discredit him.
Absoulutely! He's a white guy. Beat him like a damn dog.
I wish the media would leave the man alone. Modest men do not like being singled out and recognized. For that alone, the man should be admired.
He has to be a Republican otherwise (if he was a democRAT) he would have bailed out and let the plane crash into the city buildings killing all on board and probably thousands on the ground.
I’m waiting to see the first jerks face(s) who brings a law suite aginst the airline and the man who saved his/her sorry but.
Headline?
Obama gets word of pending tragedy, acts quickly; not like Bush's Katrina
Network movie to air next week, "Miracle on the Hudson."
President-elect Obama positioned rescue boats, assured pilot and passengers.
Hollywood. New movie to be lead in to prime time show featuring President Obama's day-to-day accomplishments, Reality West Wing . . . .
As with any true American hero here comes the MSM to destroy that person in 3...2...1...
If I had not just seen that episode of Twilight Zone, I would have no clue about that picture.
Translation - You're not free until the government tells you that you are.
They’ve recovered the engine(s), it shoud be fairly easy to find a 9 pound goose in one or both of them, which should absolve the pilot
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