Flight 1549 Crew, Air Traffic Controller Testify at Congress

Photograph of, from left, US Airways flight 1549, from left, Capt. Chesley B Sullenberger III, First Officer Jeffrey B. Skiles, flight attendant Sheila Dail, flight attendant Donna Dent, flight attendant Doreen Welsh, and air traffic control specialist Patrick Harten by Susan Walsh/AP

The Flight 1549 crew received a standing ovation before they testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The crew members, Captain Chesley B Sullenberger III, First Officer Jeffrey B. Skiles, flight attendant Sheila Dail, flight attendant Donna Dent, flight attendant Doreen Welsh, appeared before the committee alongside LaGuardia air traffic controller Patrick Harten, who gave his first statement about the flight that eventually splash-landed into the Hudson River with everyonen surviving.

Harten said, "It was the lowest low I had ever felt...While I have worked 10 or 12 emergencies over the course of my career, I have never worked an aircraft with zero thrust capabilities. I understood how grave this situation was." And when Sullenberger told him he was going to land in the Hudson, "I asked him to repeat himself, even though I heard him just fine. I simply could not wrap my mind around those words. People don't survive landings on the Hudson River; I thought it was his own death sentence. I believed at that moment, I was going to be the last person to talk to anyone on that plane alive."

Sullenberger spoke out against cost-cutting in the airline industry, “I am worried that the airline-piloting profession will not be able to continue to attract the best and the brightest. The current experience and skills of our country’s professional airline pilots come from investments made years ago when we were able to attract the ambitious, talented people who now frequently seek lucrative professional careers” elsewhere. He added that his salary was reduced 40%—prompting him to start his consulting business—and that his pension was eliminated and said airline companies "have used airline employees as an ATM."

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By Jen Chung in News on February 24, 2009 1:26 PM

Comments [rss]

Past Taliban

How about congratulating GW Bush? After all, he managed to safely ditch the entire US economy into the Hudson river too!

Outter Burrougher

Also, this is the first I remember reading anything about Harten - as very difficult as it is to try to place myself in the heads of those on the plane (which is why the name of the passenger who panicked should never be revealed), I also can't imagine how the controller dealt with his end of the situation.

Guest

NEWS FLASH: American companies fuck over their employees for larger profits. Trend spills over to consumer who is anally raped by soaring prices. The Pope is Catholic and bears shit in the woods. Next...

Outter Burrougher

and there are certainly times when that is not really in anyone's best interest - as in the cases of metal tubes hurtling through the air carrying possibly hundreds of lives.

he's been handed a pulpit, it would be irresponsible for him not to advocate on this issue, clearly related to the reason for which he is now famous and for which he clearly feels strongly.

Felix Hoenikker

'continue to attract the best and the brightest.'

You could say that about most professions, although the recent flux of 'best and brightest' into I-banking did us a whole fucking lot of good.

otterd

wow, she really did save everyone.

Anyone know the name of the douche who opened the back exit? Its amazing how logic can go out the window when you are in a panic (current economy)

famdoc

In the 60 Minutes interview, Ms. Walsh said that the panicky passenger was a woman. I think this is a case of "let he (or she) who is free from sin cast the first stone"

There's really no telling what you or I would do when told by the Captain to "brace for impact" and your plane hits the water. I'd like to think I'd follow instructions and attempt to help my fellow passengers, but I've never been there and don't know what I would actually do.

famdoc

BTW, in the spirit of modesty, Sully's corporate web site lists many of his accomplishments, but omits the most recent. I guess it needs no mention.

http://safetyreliability.com/about_us

nomnomnom

Has Doreen Welsh since retired? It seems like all the other crew members wear their uniforms at press conference.

Jen Chung

Yes—she's mentioned that when she emerged from Flight 1549, her uniform was essentially shredded. Water rose very quickly in the back, apparently.

famdoc

Ms. Walsh, by her own admission, is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and cannot bring herself to wear her uniform. I hope USAir is providing her with the best help available. It was Ms. Walsh who had to deal with the panicky passenger who pushed the rear hatch open against her instructions, resulting in water entering the rear of the aircraft and Ms. Walsh's near-drowning.

I wonder if and when Sully will start flying again. He has also said that he finds the idea of piloting again soon stressful.

nomnomnom

Thanks, Rocknrope and famdoc.

Rocknrope

She's mentioned that she has not put the uniform on since the crash. Looks like she's still working some stuff out, like the memory of the idiot, probably an i-banker, who pushed her out of the way and opened the door, letting the water in.