Count entrepreneur Richard Branson among fans of Captain Chesley Sullenberger, who managed to land US Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson—with all 155 passengers and crew members suffering only minor injuries— last month. Branson, who founded Virgin Air, told Rush & Molloy how dazzling Sully was, "Every single thing he could have done right, he did right — from the second he made that decision not to go to that local airport, to put the plane down in the water, to the way he looked after everybody," and added, "I’d like him to come fly for us. We’ll make him the best-paid pilot at Virgin — we’ll give him double [the salary of] anybody else. He also can become one of the astronauts in my intergalactic spaceship company. The man can write his own ticket with me.” Sully's reaction? "That’s amazing. I hadn’t heard that... I will be happy to entertain all the things that are coming my way." more ›

The NY Post, which proclaimed "PLUCK 'EM" to Canada geese after an apparent bird strike forced US Airways Flight 1549 to land in the Hudson River, is now angry at cab drivers for feeding birds at area airports. more ›

Leave it to TMZ to get apparently the first post-Miracle on the Hudson photo of Captain Chesley Sullenberger. The gossip website reports, "The most famous pilot on the planet made his first public appearance in D.C. last night, at a low-key dinner with some members of his heroic flight crew and several passengers from Flight 1549. The name of the restaurant -- Hudson... Seriously." Ha! Sullenberger also greeted various admirers—and "As if to take revenge on the birds that brought down his jet, Sully dined on buttermilk fried chicken." Sullenberger and the crew were in D.C. for the inauguration; in his hometown of Danville, California, the mayor is planning a "welcome home" event (the Governator is invited, too!) for the pilot. We hope he makes his way back to NYC for Mayor Bloomberg to give him that key to the city, too. more ›

Legions of Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberg fans—not to mention the plain, ol' curious—were disappointed with news that the Flight 1549 pilot's interview with the Today Show was canceled. The interview was eagerly anticipated—the public's first chance to hear from the heroic pilot who made an incredible landing into the Hudson—but the U.S. Airline Pilots Association requested the interview be canceled and it's unclear whether it will be rescheduled. But there will be plenty of opportunities for Sullenberger: PR guru Howard Rubenstein told the Times that the former Air Force fighter pilot is a "publicist’s dream" (Rubenstein also envisioned lucrative book deals, movie pitches and product endorsements in his future"). Sullenberger and his family are headed to D.C. for the inauguration—and we envision that in a few days, his Facebook page will hit 500,000 fans. more ›