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'Miracle' pilot tells why he ditched in river - [UPDATE: he won’t appear on “Today” show Monday]
sfgate.com ^ | Sunday, January 18, 2009 | Larry Neumeister,David B. Caruso, Associated Press

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 ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: excellence; flight1529; flight1549; hero; hudsonriver; pilot; sullenberger
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I will bite the bullet and watch Captain Sullenberger being interviewed by Matt Lauer.
1 posted on 01/18/2009 10:40:57 AM PST by my_pointy_head_is_sharp
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To: my_pointy_head_is_sharp

I might have to do this myself.


2 posted on 01/18/2009 10:43:03 AM PST by ZirconEncrustedTweezers (I figure the odds be fifty-fifty I just might have somethin' to say)
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To: my_pointy_head_is_sharp
Duuuhhh. Hit the river or buildings. I never flew a plane in my life but have enough sense to pick the river.
3 posted on 01/18/2009 10:44:02 AM PST by fish hawk (Atheism is a non-prophet organization)
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To: my_pointy_head_is_sharp

I’m sure he will be on other venues, should you not want to suffer Matty (I won’t).

[I want to know why Robin what’s her name has high powered binoculars in her apartment? (she ‘reported’ in and made a point of it: (para)”... very good one’s too!...”).]


4 posted on 01/18/2009 10:54:26 AM PST by This_far
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To: fish hawk
"...have enough sense to pick the river. "

It's definitely cheaper AND softer.

5 posted on 01/18/2009 11:00:27 AM PST by Paladin2 (No, pundits strongly believe that the proper solution is more dilution.)
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To: my_pointy_head_is_sharp

I wish the pilot had to integrity to not become part of the media circus.


6 posted on 01/18/2009 11:15:04 AM PST by AIM-54
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To: fish hawk

I’m not sure, but wouldn’t there be the force from the bouyancy of the water on a big airplane to consider? The plane could break up and sink like a stone in freezing water.

I heard someone say that swimming in freezing water will make you lose body heat faster than just staying still in the water waiting for rescue.


7 posted on 01/18/2009 11:20:18 AM PST by donna (Synonyms: Feminism, Communism, Fascism, Socialism)
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To: AIM-54

A true believer in the overall safety of flying might do it to reassure the public.


8 posted on 01/18/2009 11:23:29 AM PST by donna (Synonyms: Feminism, Communism, Fascism, Socialism)
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To: donna
No matter how you calculate it, taking your chances on a soft landing on water beats hitting buildings and malls etc. any day. With one there is a chance, with the other not only all on board will die but many in the houses and malls will also. I don't see how this would take much thinking. These people were lucky that the Hudson was so conveniently close.
9 posted on 01/18/2009 11:25:13 AM PST by fish hawk (Atheism is a non-prophet organization)
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To: fish hawk

Runways are an airplane’s and a pilot’s friend. That’s where you want to land, not in a river. Ditching an airplane is very difficult, one mistake and the airplane goes cartwheeling down the surface while tearing itself apart. The only way the river became a viable option, was when he reached the conclusion that he didn’t have the altitude and airspeed to make a runway. Tough call.

He had a very difficult decision to make and had to make it quickly. Once he made the decision, he had to execute flawlessly. This sort of stuff is for professionals, don’t try it at home.


10 posted on 01/18/2009 11:26:37 AM PST by centurion316
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To: AIM-54
I wish the pilot had to integrity to not become part of the media circus.

Something Good, heroic, and worthy of the news for once, and YOU want the pilot who saved his passengers by doing an outstanding job to basically stay out of the limelight? "Integrity?"

If anybody needs to be at the forefront of the "circus" it's this pilot showing why and how he saved lives with the utmost "integrity" in the midst of the debased media.

11 posted on 01/18/2009 11:30:08 AM PST by sirchtruth (Gravity Of The Situation...)
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To: centurion316
Runways are an airplane’s and a pilot’s friend. That’s where you want to land, not in a river. Ditching an airplane is very difficult, one mistake and the airplane goes cartwheeling down the surface while tearing itself apart. The only way the river became a viable option, was when he reached the conclusion that he didn’t have the altitude and airspeed to make a runway. Tough call.

Unless he was 100% certain he could make an airport, he made the right decision. The entire flight lasted fives minutes, and I'd say he had only about 30 seconds to make a decision. Looking at the flight path, he probably could have made either Teterboro or LGA with about a mile to spare. But there was no instrument to tell him that.

Ultimately, everybody walked off the plane alive, therefore, he made the right decision.

12 posted on 01/18/2009 11:37:52 AM PST by Moonman62 (The issue of whether cheap labor makes America great should have been settled by the Civil War.)
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To: fish hawk
Duuuhhh. Hit the river or buildings. I never flew a plane in my life but have enough sense to pick the river.

Well aren't you the cat's meow? His point was at first he thought he could make it to the other airport but when he had his first tinge of doubt he made a quick decision to not chance it and made the adjustment just in time. That one decision involved alot of technical aspects to consider and perform. Your comment belittles the extraordinairy feat that this gentleman performed.

13 posted on 01/18/2009 11:45:19 AM PST by torchthemummy (My apologies if this post retreads on ground already covered!)
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To: fish hawk

I was just speculating that the choices were more equal than one might think. Water is not necessarily soft.


14 posted on 01/18/2009 11:51:21 AM PST by donna (Synonyms: Feminism, Communism, Fascism, Socialism)
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To: fish hawk
It's hard to land a plane just right in water ditching. Captain Sullenberger displayed extraordinary airmanship and skill, and needed a few angels per wing holding it up and steady.
15 posted on 01/18/2009 11:52:14 AM PST by GAB-1955 (Kicking and Screaming into the Kingdom of Heaven!)
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To: torchthemummy
I'm not taking anything away from the pilot. Just stating that he made the most logical choice. And you are right about one thing, I am the Cat's meow. Put yourself in his position and see if your choice would be to set down in the “neighborhood”. The man did good for sure and deserves to be honored but Sainthood is a little much.
16 posted on 01/18/2009 11:56:29 AM PST by fish hawk (Atheism is a non-prophet organization)
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To: my_pointy_head_is_sharp
Can you imagine if he attempted to do this Obama style and instead voted NOT PRESENT rather than act?
17 posted on 01/18/2009 11:57:21 AM PST by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: my_pointy_head_is_sharp

“Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III said that in the few minutes he had to decide where to set down the powerless plane Thursday afternoon, he felt it was “too low, too slow” and near too many buildings to go anywhere else,”

I think the natural reaction of most people would be to try and get it back to the runway. This pilot understood that a decision like that might not only kill everyone on the plane but a lot of people on the ground. The water landing was the decision of a pilot with great skills, incredible courage, and in MHO great moral character.


18 posted on 01/18/2009 11:57:40 AM PST by yazoo
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To: Moonman62
Coming up short of Teterboro or LGA would have been a mess, landing in the water was probably softer than not making the runway.

The movie shows he landing tail first, not engines 1st.

Man would I like a couple of hours of dual instruction from this guy...

19 posted on 01/18/2009 12:00:39 PM PST by taildragger (Palin / Mulally 2012)
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To: my_pointy_head_is_sharp

Just once I’d like to see a person in Captain Sully’s position (politely) just say no to these interviews.

He seems to be such a cool dude I had hopes he’d be the guy.


20 posted on 01/18/2009 12:02:34 PM PST by cydcharisse
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