the Hudson river.
On 15th January of this year an amazing incident took place.
An A 320 Airbus marked up in the livery of U.S.Airways made an emergency landing into the Hudson river.
Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger was the pilot in charge with FO Jeffrey Skiles riding shotgun.
155 people were aboard the aircraft when, shortly after take off from La Guardia, the twin engines suffered birdstrikes in both sides. The plane had no chance of making the distance to any form of airstrip in the vicinity. Sullenberger quickly recognised that there was only one option to give them all a fighting chance. The Hudson river.
It was a scary sight for witnesses as well as for those going thro' the event on board.
2001 and the dropping of the twin towers isn't so far away. And now, another airliner is about to crash in New York.
Sullenberger calculated his rate of descent, the angle he needed to drop the plane in to the water with the tail entering first.
The Hudson river ferry captains were alerted along with all the usual 911ers.
The water was just 2 degrees above freezing.
Of the 155 people on board 155 survived. Those that did suffer injuries were fortunate to not suffer anything too serious.
Many called the good captain a hero. He, rightly, said he was only doing his job.
I agree. Less a hero and more an experienced pilot who used all that experience to carry out the most incredible heroic measures!
He was not the only person to bring about such a happy conclusion to a potentially horrific incident but he was the man in charge and on the spot at that time.
I salute all involved.
I salute Sully over and above.
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