hero?
is the pilot a hero? did he deliberately put himself on this specific plane knowing the troubles he would face?
if this pilot is a hero then all pilots are heroes because they all made the choice to put their lives on the line and potentially face dangerous events like this every time they get in the cockpit.
for me the pilot was just the right guy, wrong place, wrong time.
incredible airmanship and should be recognised as such.
surely there is a more appropriate noun?
MHO