Smithy, they are in the climb at 3000 feet over what to me looks like built up area with lots of high rise and it all goes to hell in a hand basket. First instinct fly the plane, identify the problem, fly the plane, tell somebody, fly the plane, tell the cabin, fly the plane by which time he has traded altitude for airspeed and his options are even less. He sees the water and goes for that.......the area he "picked" was devoid of bridges which when you think about how many there are in NYC, would make a landing in line with the river even harder...they all did brilliantly...christ, practice efato in my 152 got my blood pumping...they, like the crew of the BA777 at LHR are heroes in a world gone mad and looking for a great story