Plane Down in Hudson River - NYC
Left Seat 747
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differential pressure and opening the doors in a ditching
When I first viewed the airplane in the water from a long distance camera it appeared all the doors were closed. As it turned out, everybody had already made it out but at the time I wondered about the plug type doors and differential pressure.
Most jets on landing will automatically fully open the outflow valve/s. This to avoid differential pressure so the plug type doors can be opened. If the outflow valves automatically open during a water landing (they are on the the bottom of the aircraft) and water is rushing in through them as the plane is sinking under it's own weight, it seems to me that would create a slightly pressurized cabin. It logically follows the plug doors might be difficult or even impossible to open as the plane settles further and further into the water.
Or do the outflow doors close in a ditching of an A320?
If not, it follows that the longer crew waited to open the first door the more difficult it would be to open all the doors. This assumes they are all plug type doors. Would this be true?
Obviously that didn't happen here and the doors were opened immediately but I would be curious to know how that pressurization effect I just described would be avoided.
I haven't heard any description about the FA's and the job they did. The Captain is getting all the credit, but I bet they were instrumental in the successful outcome of this incident.
ps I just hate it when the news media refers to this as a crash - it was a successful, controlled ditching - not a "crash."
Most jets on landing will automatically fully open the outflow valve/s. This to avoid differential pressure so the plug type doors can be opened. If the outflow valves automatically open during a water landing (they are on the the bottom of the aircraft) and water is rushing in through them as the plane is sinking under it's own weight, it seems to me that would create a slightly pressurized cabin. It logically follows the plug doors might be difficult or even impossible to open as the plane settles further and further into the water.
Or do the outflow doors close in a ditching of an A320?
If not, it follows that the longer crew waited to open the first door the more difficult it would be to open all the doors. This assumes they are all plug type doors. Would this be true?
Obviously that didn't happen here and the doors were opened immediately but I would be curious to know how that pressurization effect I just described would be avoided.
I haven't heard any description about the FA's and the job they did. The Captain is getting all the credit, but I bet they were instrumental in the successful outcome of this incident.
ps I just hate it when the news media refers to this as a crash - it was a successful, controlled ditching - not a "crash."
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Or do the outflow doors close in a ditching of an A320?
flying guy: there is a ditching pushbutton on the 320 series, it is a "guarded" pushbutton that needs confirmation of both pilots (it is also used during de-icing to prevent fumes getting in) and there are also ditiching checklists in the quick ref handbook
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The Waterbus has a ditching pushbutton that closes all the vents/outflow valve etc. Also the bleeds are turned off in the ditching 'with engines' procedure.
Well done everyone
oops, we crossed!
Well done everyone
oops, we crossed!
Capt. superb airmanship !!!!!
His father, James J. Skiles of nearby Verona, said his son's been flying since he was 15-years-old. He's worked almost 26 years for US Airways and prior to that he worked for Midstate Airlines and also flew cargo planes, Barbara Skiles said.
Wisconsin pilot on crew of US Airways jet -- chicagotribune.com
Wisconsin pilot on crew of US Airways jet -- chicagotribune.com
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SULLY!
For those fellow Gentlemen Of The Air, who know their inspirational literature, in particular that written by that aviator and writer extraordinaire. Richard Bach.
Blow the dust off your paperback copy of "Jonathan Livingston Seagull", turn to page 63 (if you can find it at the back of your study shelf), and refresh your memory as to just who "Sully" is.
Coincidence or what?
Blow the dust off your paperback copy of "Jonathan Livingston Seagull", turn to page 63 (if you can find it at the back of your study shelf), and refresh your memory as to just who "Sully" is.
Coincidence or what?
Louis L'Amour in books about the old west oft used the expression "A man to ride the river with" .....this really meant someone with character, someone you could rely on in a crises and who you could trust your life to when the backed into a corner.
Pardon the Pun but clearly Sully is A man to ride the Hudson river with.
Pardon the Pun but clearly Sully is A man to ride the Hudson river with.
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Aside from 1 article, one would have to assume that the US Airways A320 has been specially designed and modified to be a single pilot jet.
It is absolutely amazing how the press have ignored the co-pilot in nearly 99% of all articles.
I thought it was quite amusing with the BA777 with the dual donk failure - they did the same thing, until they found out it was the co-pilot flying at the time.
Speaking of which does anyone actually know who was PF at the time?
It is absolutely amazing how the press have ignored the co-pilot in nearly 99% of all articles.
I thought it was quite amusing with the BA777 with the dual donk failure - they did the same thing, until they found out it was the co-pilot flying at the time.
Speaking of which does anyone actually know who was PF at the time?
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It wouldn't surprise me at all to find out that it was the F/O who was PF. Apparently the captain made the Mayday and the Brace call so was he also flying it? But every news channel would try to make you believe it was a single pilot/one man operation. Makes me somewhat angry 
that one guy is being called a hero when I'm sure the entire crew played an equal part in this.
that one guy is being called a hero when I'm sure the entire crew played an equal part in this.
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Nimrod Ditching in Moray Firth 1995
Art Stacey AFC was a successful ditcher. He is also a highly experienced Training Captain same as Captain Sullenberger. How lucky for those 2 flights to have brilliant aviators in command.
R.1 XW666 ditched in the Moray Firth on 16th May, when both starboard engines caught fire during a test flight. Captained by Flt Lt Art Stacey, the aircraft was being test-flown from RAF Kinloss following a major inspection. The engine fire began about 30 minutes after takeoff. When the onboard fire suppression system failed to extinguish the fire, Flt Lt Stacey was forced to ditch the aircraft before the wing structure burnt through (the strength of the starboard wing's rear spar had deteriorated by 25% after 4 minutes of the fire). Fortunately conditions for ditching were ideal, and all seven crew members were able to get into dinghies before being picked up by a Sea King HC.3 from Lossiemouth. The wreckage was recovered from 70ft of water. The Board of Inquiry recommended that aluminium alloy hydraulic pipe unions in the engine bays be replaced with steel ones, and also that the Nimrod's Data Acquisition and Recording Unit (DARU) should incorporate recordings of cockpit voice, GPS position and time code, but neither of these recommendations were enacted.
R.1 XW666 ditched in the Moray Firth on 16th May, when both starboard engines caught fire during a test flight. Captained by Flt Lt Art Stacey, the aircraft was being test-flown from RAF Kinloss following a major inspection. The engine fire began about 30 minutes after takeoff. When the onboard fire suppression system failed to extinguish the fire, Flt Lt Stacey was forced to ditch the aircraft before the wing structure burnt through (the strength of the starboard wing's rear spar had deteriorated by 25% after 4 minutes of the fire). Fortunately conditions for ditching were ideal, and all seven crew members were able to get into dinghies before being picked up by a Sea King HC.3 from Lossiemouth. The wreckage was recovered from 70ft of water. The Board of Inquiry recommended that aluminium alloy hydraulic pipe unions in the engine bays be replaced with steel ones, and also that the Nimrod's Data Acquisition and Recording Unit (DARU) should incorporate recordings of cockpit voice, GPS position and time code, but neither of these recommendations were enacted.
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Just a few weeks ago, I was on a passenger vessel sailing up the Swan River from Fremantle to Perth, WA. The guy who was doing the commentary for we tourists said that where the river opened up to a big basin at Perth the water was only a metre and a half deep and had been designated as an alternatíve landing area for any plane with problems, like undercarriage failure, instead of trying to land at Perth airport. Little did I think something very similar would occur in NY within days.
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Awsome flying!!!
Hard to tell from images but the rear doors dont look like they have been opened.If this is the case it probaly stopped the cabin flooding quickly and helping the a/c stay afloat
Well done F/As.
Hard to tell from images but the rear doors dont look like they have been opened.If this is the case it probaly stopped the cabin flooding quickly and helping the a/c stay afloat
Well done F/As.
We'd better brace for the first anti-third-runway campaigner to say "If that had happened at Heathrow..."
90 second evacuation rule with a seat cushion?
The report by the rescue diver of the condition of two women in the water is sobering, it is clear the passengers were in greater danger without the provision of life vests.
In this case apparently over three minutes elapsed between the strike and impact. Enough time to don a vest?
I'm interested to learn what tests were done with seat cushions replacing life preservers in cold water.
One assumes 150 passengers would exit the aircraft more slowly if they are each holding a seat cushion! especially if their escape is over the high sill of an over wing exit.
Does the 90 second evacuation rule not apply in a ditching?
Mickjoebill
In this case apparently over three minutes elapsed between the strike and impact. Enough time to don a vest?
I'm interested to learn what tests were done with seat cushions replacing life preservers in cold water.
One assumes 150 passengers would exit the aircraft more slowly if they are each holding a seat cushion! especially if their escape is over the high sill of an over wing exit.
Does the 90 second evacuation rule not apply in a ditching?
Mickjoebill