Meet my new hero

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Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

I believe that if you look up "Balls of Brass" in Wikipedia, there will be a picture of this man.

CLICK

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:30 am

It was a completely amazing and unbelievable piece of flying. There is a short animated video of the plane's flight path on cnn.com that really illustrates the pilot's skill and control while under extreme pressure, and how close a major tragedy was adverted. Wow.

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 7:05 am

I just heard the news on my local radio some minutes ago.
Simply amazing!

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 7:18 am

The Air Force Academy sent out one to be proud of here.

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 2:44 pm

Absolutely stunning.

In-depth coverage includes the information that the "landing" was text-book. He might have tried for an airport, but weather conditions or a slight misjudgement might have resulted in the plane going down in a heavily-populated area near the airport, so he made the right choice for minimal damage and injury.

After 40 years of flying, including in combat, he still has "the right stuff."

His neighbors in northern California will probably give him a big welcome home. Very Happy

ETA: So many tragedies are laid at the feet of "pilot error." How nice to have full credit for a good result given to the pilot.

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 2:54 pm

Amazing that he found just the right place to put the plane down in such a congested area (even the water is crowded!). It's fitting that they ditched safely just a few blocks from the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier converted to museum of airplanes and brave people who fly them.

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 3:20 pm

Truly awesome flying. As a pilot myself (just the little propellor stuff) I know how tricky it is to handle an engine failure (never had a real one but you train for them).

Correct me if I'm wrong but is this the first time a jet airliner has made a successful ditching?

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 3:23 pm

One helleva pilot. One helleva man. He was spotted yesterday early evening in a coffee bar in the airport sitting alone waiting for his next flight out.

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

Yes, what an amazing guy. Great work, captain!

Titania, very true what you say about pilot error - if they cannnot find a fault and/or the pilot is dead, they get blamed.

I never knew there were a few other flyers on the forums!

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 2628

I'm really impressed, according to the reports not only did he get the plane down, he did a walk through the aisles to make sure everyone was off and was the last to leave.

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 3:57 pm

Quote:

Correct me if I'm wrong but is this the first time a jet airliner has made a successful ditching?

According to press releases, this is supposedly the first time in 45 years an airliner has ditched without a fatality. I don't know what happened in 1964.

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 720

A great pilot

Could of gone this way
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_Airlines_Flight_961

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 4:36 pm

When the pilot does everything correctly but dies, they still blame him but call him dead right. When the flight attendants perform their required safety briefings and explain "In the unlikely event of a water landing..." I have wanted to say "put this yellow thing around your neck so they can find your ass a lot easier because you're gonna die." I have not because interfering with that brief is a felony.

After listening to a talk about cockpit resource management by the pilot of the DC-10 that made the amazing landing in Sioux City, Iowa, I asked a helicopter pilot that was sitting in the right seat to spot emergency landing sites for me as we flew along. After he pointed out a body of water, I told him that ditching means dying. He was stunned when I quoted him the statistics.

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:59 pm

Actually, on ABC news last night, the statistics were shown that there have been quite a few successful ditchings over the past ten or so years.

A water landing, if done correctly (As Capt. Sullivan did) is quite safe. If the pilot keeps the nose up and sort of slides onto the surface of the wateer, the impact will not break the fuselage, and the cargo doors will leak only slowly, so sinking is not immediate.

The landing was done exactly as it was supposed to be. And, apparently, as has been done before.

Too bad for the geese, though. More airports are trying to do more "bird abatement" these days, but it's hard to convince a bird of anything.

Trophy Videos · Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 7:01 pm

That's some flying skill! Give him a big fat raise! Very Happy

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

I find it comical that they get in a car, and drive down the runway full belt in order to get rid of the birds - a bird run.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Titania wrote:

More airports are trying to do more "bird abatement" these days, but it's hard to convince a bird of anything.

I have an easy answer. Wink

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 7:53 pm

Simply superb stuff clapping

Also, what a great name - Chesley B Sullenberger III

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 10:07 pm

Bravo!

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Video of the water landing.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9e6_1232166872

Edit: It is about 2 minutes in. Kudos also to the heads up ferry Captains. Well done!