Plane Down in Hudson River - NYC
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"As a profession, we learned some things about ditching." ???? That the plane lands, and floats, exactly as the manual shows us? And, as expected, with a contolled landing(high survival rate), the fuselage will stay together and float for awhile?
Lots of drama on the news. At least my kids, and to a lesser extent my wife, realize the folks did what they've done for years -
1. fly the plane
2. analyze the situation
3. take appropriate action
High drama! "The missed the G.W. bridge by only 900'" - My kids understand now that flying 900' above something is not a 'miss'. And if they'd have been to low to clear the G.W....., they could have turned north away from the G.W.
Or, if after turning south and realizing they couldn't clear the G.W. bridge, and will no altitude to turn, could have gone under the G.W. That would have been interesting, but at the time a simple fact of the PIC doing what he had to do to accomplish points 1, 2, and 3.
My guess is the trancripts will appear to be almost boring, but obviously high drama because the event is very unusual. It will be time compressed points 1, 2, and 3 above.
Excellent job,
but oy, the drama! 
Lots of drama on the news. At least my kids, and to a lesser extent my wife, realize the folks did what they've done for years -
1. fly the plane
2. analyze the situation
3. take appropriate action
High drama! "The missed the G.W. bridge by only 900'" - My kids understand now that flying 900' above something is not a 'miss'. And if they'd have been to low to clear the G.W....., they could have turned north away from the G.W.
Or, if after turning south and realizing they couldn't clear the G.W. bridge, and will no altitude to turn, could have gone under the G.W. That would have been interesting, but at the time a simple fact of the PIC doing what he had to do to accomplish points 1, 2, and 3.
My guess is the trancripts will appear to be almost boring, but obviously high drama because the event is very unusual. It will be time compressed points 1, 2, and 3 above.
Excellent job,
but oy, the drama!
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Many pictures at Newsday, including the pilot's
This is image #5 of 73 currently:
US Airways Flight 1549 pilot Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III has been hailed as a hero for safely landing the plane after two engines blew out Thursday in New York City. The captain for US Airways has more than 40 years of flying experience, according to a safety Web site. (safetyreliability.com Photo)
http://www.newsday.com/media/photo/2009-01/44544102.jpg
Full series of photos here (many are duplicates though)
Hudson River Plane Crash: Jet goes down in Hudson River in NYC -- Newsday.com
US Airways Flight 1549 pilot Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III has been hailed as a hero for safely landing the plane after two engines blew out Thursday in New York City. The captain for US Airways has more than 40 years of flying experience, according to a safety Web site. (safetyreliability.com Photo)
http://www.newsday.com/media/photo/2009-01/44544102.jpg
Full series of photos here (many are duplicates though)
Hudson River Plane Crash: Jet goes down in Hudson River in NYC -- Newsday.com
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Not many choices for the poor guy..
If the poor fellow was at 900' coming over the GW bridge and gliding, he couldn't make Teteboro, Westchester or Newark. He only had 2 choices...The NJ Turnpike or the river. Neither choice jumps off the page as preferable.
That's a major issue with LGA. It's surrounded by Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan etc and if the you know what hits the fan like it did today, your options are extremely limited at best.
These guys really earned their pay today. An absolute miracle that no fatalities occured.
That's a major issue with LGA. It's surrounded by Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan etc and if the you know what hits the fan like it did today, your options are extremely limited at best.
These guys really earned their pay today. An absolute miracle that no fatalities occured.
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Absolutly great to see that it is possible for a wing mounted engine airliner to survive a ditching, however I think that aside from the great airmanship from the crew in the ditching itself and the moments immediately afterwards, that the fact that there was little or no swell played a huge factor in the outcome of this event.
Had the same 'touchdown' occured in open water I think the result would of been tragically different.
Well Done
Had the same 'touchdown' occured in open water I think the result would of been tragically different.
Well Done
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Air Florida comparison
My congratulations, too. Just a couple of points.
Several posters have wondered why the ditching outcome here was so different from that with Air Florida in the Potomac. Two reasons. The US Airways flight appears to have gained 3000 feet of altitude before descending. Air Florida never made it up to more than a hundred or so feet. So more time for the US Airways crew to manouver. And second, on its way down, the Air Florida plane clipped one of the Fourteenth Street bridges across the river -- which inflicted damage that may have prevented any prolonged ability for it to float.
Also, as to the question about why so few passengers appear to be wearing life vests. It is possible that this plane wasn't equipped with them -- relying on seat cushions, instead.
Wonderful result and story all around! Kudos!
Several posters have wondered why the ditching outcome here was so different from that with Air Florida in the Potomac. Two reasons. The US Airways flight appears to have gained 3000 feet of altitude before descending. Air Florida never made it up to more than a hundred or so feet. So more time for the US Airways crew to manouver. And second, on its way down, the Air Florida plane clipped one of the Fourteenth Street bridges across the river -- which inflicted damage that may have prevented any prolonged ability for it to float.
Also, as to the question about why so few passengers appear to be wearing life vests. It is possible that this plane wasn't equipped with them -- relying on seat cushions, instead.
Wonderful result and story all around! Kudos!
Earlier someone asked about previous birdstike-related crashes. C-P noted the loss of an AWACS in Elmendorf AFB (Anchorage, AK) after multiple birdstrikes. I know of two C-5s that were nearly brought down by birstrikes, knew both captains, one received a DFC for returning with two out on one side. Eastern lost an Electra at KBOS after multiple birdstrikes.
When you see the high-speed photography of birdstrike test, it is amazing the damage an engine can withstand. Equally amazing, birds can kill an engine OR TWO!
GF
When you see the high-speed photography of birdstrike test, it is amazing the damage an engine can withstand. Equally amazing, birds can kill an engine OR TWO!
GF
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Also, as to the question about why so few passengers appear to be wearing life vests. It is possible that this plane wasn't equipped with them -- relying on seat cushions, instead.
<CR2 shakes head in wonder>
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Port engine
Several recent CNN images of the AC secured to shore have the port wing clear of the water. I don't see an engine attached. I imagine NY has a couple barge cranes that can be in position by tomorrow to lift the AC to surface if not onto another barge.
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newarksmells - flight tracker had them crossing the G.W. bridge at 1400'. The press has made that into "OMG, they missed the G.W. bridge by 900'.
Both are true, but one is a non event and one is pure drama.
Both are true, but one is a non event and one is pure drama.
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Well done to the pilots and the cabin crew for a text book landing on the water and getting all tha pax out safely.
I think both of the engines were struck by birds because if it was a single strike the aircraft had sustained sufficient altitude to enable it to return back to the airport for a single engine landing.
Again to the flight crew I salute you.
I think both of the engines were struck by birds because if it was a single strike the aircraft had sustained sufficient altitude to enable it to return back to the airport for a single engine landing.
Again to the flight crew I salute you.
Well Done to all ... amazing really, but maybe Airbus has designed a floating hull instead of a flying fuselage, without really even knowing it - awesome!!!! 
I think this will become a simulator now, or maybe a practice aircraft for the Fire-ries to play with at the airort of a day
I think this will become a simulator now, or maybe a practice aircraft for the Fire-ries to play with at the airort of a day
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Did U.S Airways CEO mention only 3 FA's for more than 150 pax?? Surely he means 4?
I hope it becomes the recurrent sim profile. No more engine failure at V1, run thru the QRH drills, hold, fly ILS to mins, miss, back into the pattern for another ILS or a divert. Take-off, lose both, ditch, time for coffee.
GF
GF
Moderator
Great job Crew!
Another poster commented on ground radar not telling them about the geese (presupposing those are the facts). That though occurred to me too. Last spring I was at 5500 feet, 70 miles east of Quebec City, and the radar controller there told me to have a look just off my right for birds, sure enough, geese! I sure am impressed with the radar he is using!
Pilot DAR
Another poster commented on ground radar not telling them about the geese (presupposing those are the facts). That though occurred to me too. Last spring I was at 5500 feet, 70 miles east of Quebec City, and the radar controller there told me to have a look just off my right for birds, sure enough, geese! I sure am impressed with the radar he is using!
Pilot DAR
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USAir Captain of flight 1549 hailed a hero!!
Oh puhleeze! A HERO he certainly wasn't!!!
The heroes in this incident were the ferry crew members who came to the rescue of the stricken plane. THEY WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO IMMEDIATELY ASSIST IN SOMETHING WHICH WAS NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS. THEY SACRIFICED THEIR PERSONAL WELLBEING TO RESCUE THE CREW AND PASSENGERS.
As for the pilots and crew, they performed superbly and are certainly VALUE FOR MONEY. However to call them heroes is stretching really it rich and fat. The captain and copilot are certainly the best professionals and are really a great credit to the pilot profession.........they signed up for a mission on accepting to operate that flight and THEY CERTAINLY PROVED they deserve the greatest respect and gratitude of USAir and the general public. THEYA ARE NOT INCIDENTAL HEROES, but superbly valuable professionals who the public and aviation industry MUST TRULY VALUE, period.
The heroes in this incident were the ferry crew members who came to the rescue of the stricken plane. THEY WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO IMMEDIATELY ASSIST IN SOMETHING WHICH WAS NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS. THEY SACRIFICED THEIR PERSONAL WELLBEING TO RESCUE THE CREW AND PASSENGERS.
As for the pilots and crew, they performed superbly and are certainly VALUE FOR MONEY. However to call them heroes is stretching really it rich and fat. The captain and copilot are certainly the best professionals and are really a great credit to the pilot profession.........they signed up for a mission on accepting to operate that flight and THEY CERTAINLY PROVED they deserve the greatest respect and gratitude of USAir and the general public. THEYA ARE NOT INCIDENTAL HEROES, but superbly valuable professionals who the public and aviation industry MUST TRULY VALUE, period.
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I applaud both the guys at the front and the CC for a job well done If our paths should cross at any time in the future then the beers are on me - you have done our profession proud, all of you!
FD crew, an especially excellent job - I also have a lot of gliding time and wonder if I would have been able to make such an excellent job when faced with the same hand of cards. I have never flown a 'bus so can't relate it to this accident, but I know I wouldn't much fancy it in the 73 (would any of us?).
I was just thinking this and then your post came up - I am in a position to do something about this where I work. I will be calling a meeting in 4 hours time to get a re-evaluation regarding Subpart D, which will affect the 7 large (CAT) types for which I have some input. Heathrow, Rome and now this accident all in a year, I think there is enough call to mandate it as a sim training element!!!
On a different note, a few months ago I was appraising a 320 TR programme and was jibing the HT about the bus facility of having a ditching button and the fact that it must be provided by bus to make the crew feel better that they were about to pop off to meet Davy Jones. I shall now go back to same HT and eat a serious slice of humble pie - well done Airbus for providing this, I would never have thought it but seems you were right on the money with this quirky facility
RIX
Edit to add - I am not suggesting engine fail at V1 shall come out of SP D, but I think management and mitigation of loss of both/all powerplants shall be from now on considered as part of recurrent.
If our paths should cross at any time in the future then the beers are on me - you have done our profession proud, all of you!FD crew, an especially excellent job - I also have a lot of gliding time and wonder if I would have been able to make such an excellent job when faced with the same hand of cards. I have never flown a 'bus so can't relate it to this accident, but I know I wouldn't much fancy it in the 73 (would any of us?).
I hope it becomes the recurrent sim profile. No more engine failure at V1, run thru the QRH drills, hold, fly ILS to mins, miss, back into the pattern for another ILS or a divert. Take-off, lose both, ditch, time for coffee.
On a different note, a few months ago I was appraising a 320 TR programme and was jibing the HT about the bus facility of having a ditching button and the fact that it must be provided by bus to make the crew feel better that they were about to pop off to meet Davy Jones. I shall now go back to same HT and eat a serious slice of humble pie - well done Airbus for providing this, I would never have thought it but seems you were right on the money with this quirky facility
RIX
Edit to add - I am not suggesting engine fail at V1 shall come out of SP D, but I think management and mitigation of loss of both/all powerplants shall be from now on considered as part of recurrent.
Last edited by Romeo India Xray; 16th Jan 2009 at 03:16. Reason: Proof read first, press submit second
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Let's just hope this is recognized and not forgotten when the inevitable flock of vultures from the law firms arrive on the scene and start looking for people to sue.
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Well done captain and crew for a fantastic result....as with any thing like this there is an element of luck...allot of luck, however I'm certain that the experience and professionalism of the crew was a significant factor in the outcome..again, well done and extremely proud of you all.
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Captain Sully already has a fan page put up on his behalf at Facebook.
The Zoomies at work will be hard to live with after this. Hope the copilot was Navy.
The Zoomies at work will be hard to live with after this. Hope the copilot was Navy.