brace for landing!

[onlycafe]

documentary on the learning channel, january 10th, check for local time in zone.
captain sully on the hudson. should be a very interesting show.

[GH85Carrera]

It should be interesting.

I still don't see him as a hero. All he did was his job. He did it quite well and I want him as my pilot whenever I fly commercial.

[flatbutt]

I'm not a pilot so my opinion is just that. But if he was as cool as it appears he was when he said "my aircraft"...well that's some heroic stuff. I say heroic because it took the stuff of heroism to focus like that, to ignore his own doubts, fears and concern for his personal safety. Maybe thats what pilots are supposed to be but I'm going to go out on a limb and say IMHO it is a rare quality.

[kach22i]

I guess the world (media at least) is looking for a hero, and the pants fit.

[ted]

Interesting name choice Brace for landing.
As according to some he omitted the last warning to the cabin before hitting the water.
The crew may not have correctly configured the outside doors for a water landing so it sunk quicker than it should have.

My awesome pilot hero story would be this crew.
These guys had a long fight and got it to the airport where the rescue equipment was located.

United Airlines Flight 232 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

On July 19, 1989, the Douglas DC-10 (Registration N1819U) suffered an uncontained failure of its number 2 engine which destroyed all three of the aircraft's hydraulic systems. With no controls working except the thrust levers for the two remaining engines, the aircraft broke up during an emergency landing on the runway at Sioux City, Iowa, killing 112 of its 286 passengers and one of the 11 crew members.

Owing to the skill of the crew and a DC-10 instructor pilot, who was a passenger on the aircraft, 174 passengers and 10 crew members, survived the crash. The disaster is considered an example of successful Crew Resource Management, due to the effective use of all the resources available aboard the plane for help during the emergency.[1]

[equality72521]

I guess it depends on how you define "hero". If it's someone that successfully leads you through a time of life threatening adversity then I say he IS a hero. Would you say our greatest leaders are heros? Was Abe Lincoln a hero for bringing about the end of slavery? He was just doing his job right?

[HardDrive]

WTF? This guy is not a hero?

Your comments are sickening. Sorry your such jaded Americans that you can't appreciate what this guy did.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

WTF? This guy is not a hero?

Your comments are sickening. Sorry your such jaded Americans that you can't appreciate what this guy did.

I think that many people are suspicious of media hype and that reflects on this story deserving or not.

[Moses]

I'm lucky enough to know Sully. He is a genuinely shy and humble man. His performance on that day was truly heroic, including wading through the water filled cabin (twice) to ensure all his passengers were safe.

I'm pretty cynical. I don't have many heroes, but Sully is at the top of my list. The man man defines integrity, humility and valor.

[schamp]

Well said Moses and I agree entirely. I think he did a great job getting that plane down in one piece and additionally to his credit he has handled the hero worship as a true gentleman of which there are to few.

[onlycafe]

Originally Posted by Moses

I'm lucky enough to know Sully. He is a genuinely shy and humble man. His performance on that day was truly heroic, including wading through the water filled cabin (twice) to ensure all his passengers were safe.

I'm pretty cynical. I don't have many heroes, but Sully is at the top of my list. The man man defines integrity, humility and valor.

you should have those words carved in stone.

[ossiblue]

"I guess it depends on how you define 'hero'." equality72521

"A man admired for his achievements and noble qualities: one that shows great courage." Merriam Webster Dictionary

"1. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. " Dictionary.com

"I'm lucky enough to know Sully. He is a genuinely shy and humble man. His performance on that day was truly heroic, including wading through the water filled cabin (twice) to ensure all his passengers were safe.

I'm pretty cynical. I don't have many heroes, but Sully is at the top of my list. The man man defines integrity, humility and valor." Moses

'nuf said.

[MT930]

I just finished the Highest Duty (his book) this guy is a hero and much more. The country would be in better shape if we had more like him at the helm of aircraft, business & government. An unassuming guy, that had one chance to get it right and was good enough to make it look easy,

I’ve had had a commercial pilot’s license for 25 years I’ve seen my share of situations in the air. This guy is the real deal. Capt Al Haynes is another hero in my book; these types of men are in short supply in these times.

I have seen senior pilots come apart at the seams in a few situations. Just because you have trained doesn’t mean you are going to keep it together when it counts.

[Looking_for_911]

Every time I have heard him talk of the day he has never once in any way gloated over the fact that He did anything special at all. In fact, he goes out of his way to credit his crew for their "heroics."

"Ted" says,

"Interesting name choice Brace for landing.
As according to some he omitted the last warning to the cabin before hitting the water.
The crew may not have correctly configured the outside doors for a water landing so it sunk quicker than it should have."

Just who is this that has said he omited the "last warning" to the cabin? When I last saw anything on this - this morning - it was stated the title of the documentary was taken from what he said, "Brace for landing."

[Embraer]

I ran into Sully at the Airways training center in CLT when I was there for work a few months ago. Nice guy. I think he did a great job on the Hudson. A textbook ditching. That being said, Al Haynes and the crew of FedEx 705 rank up a little higher on my "hero pilot" scale.

[ted]

Originally Posted by Looking_for_911

The crew may not have correctly configured the outside doors for a water landing so it sunk quicker than it should have."

Just who is this that has said he omited the "last warning" to the cabin? When I last saw anything on this - this morning - it was stated the title of the documentary was taken from what he said, "Brace for landing."

I heard it from a retired airline pilot.
Anyone have a link/copy to the FAA accident report?

[GH85Carrera]

Sully is one hell of a pilot. He was the perfect man for the job. I have total admiration for him. I wish there were more pilots like him.

I have always thought the word hero is over-used. If a child is drowning and the father jumps is and risks his life to save his own child that is not heroic, that is his obligation as a father. If a total stranger jumps in and saves the kid that is a hero.

A fireman that goes into a burning building looking for people to rescue is doing his job. It is a dangerous job but that is what he was hired to do. That makes me admire the courage and training of a fireman. I still don't see that as a hero because he is doing his job.

[island911]

"Brace for landing." ?

I thought he said "Brace for impact."

[Schumi]

I wish I could say this guy wasn't a hero, as thus every airline pilot would be as capable in such a situation. But alas that's not the case.

[island911]

I get what GH8 is saying, and I'll add... Any pilot, even w/ only a plane load of plastic dog-doo, would be damn interested in saving his own skin.

While I'm certainly grateful that he did such a good job, it's not as if he was in a safe place, but decided to run in to a bad situation just to save others.

One could also argue that he should have seen and avoided the large flock of birds.