Friday, January 16, 2009

Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III is a HERO

Rick posted the Miracle on the Hudson, but I want to take a minute to discuss the hero pilot of US Airways Flight 1549, Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III.   Sully was an Air Force fighter jet pilot in the 1970's, and a pilot for US Airways since 1980.  


On Thursday, the jet engines of Sully's Airbus A320 bound for Charlotte hit a flock of birds three minutes into takeoff from LaGuardia.  Sully saw Teterboro in NJ, but decided he couldn't land there, so he landed safely on the Hudson River, saving the lives of 150 passengers.  Four were treated for hypothermia, other than that, no injuries.  I still can't believe that the airplane floated in the freezing cold waters of the Hudson.  The temperature was 20, and the water's temperature was 36.  After he safely landed the plane on the river, Sully didn't leave the plane until he ensured that every passenger had evacuated.  He walked the plane twice after everyone else was off, to make sure that no one else was still on board. 

C.B. Sullenberger III is an American Hero, and people like Sully are what makes America great.  His courage under fire and independent decision-making reminded me of the Americans who stormed the beach at Normandy and saved the world from Hitler. 

So thank you Rick for posting the story, and I hope y'all enjoyed learning a little about C.B. Sullenberger III.