Two years ago today, a US Airways flight splash-crashed into the icy Hudson River. Amazing, no one died and all 155 passengers and crew members escaped the sinking plane, thanks to many boats in the river, like the NY Waterway ferries. It turned out that the plane suffered a bird strike, disabling engines, and pilot Captain Chesley Sullenberger decided instead of returning Flight 1549 back to LaGuardia Airport that he would land the plane in the water. At the time, then Governor David Paterson said, "We had a Miracle on 34th Street, now, I believe, we have a Miracle on the Hudson."
Flight 1549 Splash Landing, Two Years Later
Miracle On Hudson Plane To Finally Reach Destination?
The now famed Flight 1549—that was meant to reach Charlotte, North Carolina but landed in the Hudson River instead thanks to those darned Canada geese—may finally reach its final destination. The Carolinas Aviation Museum says they're interested in displaying the wreckage, and "have been for some time." The director, Randy Breedlove, believes people would flock to see the remaining pieces of the Airbus A320 flown by Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger. According to the NY Post, he says the plane is a "natural fit" with the museum, since many passengers on the flight are from North Carolina.
NTSB: Sully Did Good Job, But He Could Have Gone Back To LGA
Way to deflate last year's feel-good story of the year: The National Transportation Safety Board is issuing its final report on the amazing Hudson River splash landing of Flight 1549 in January 2009. But the Wall Street Journal reports, "Pilots who used simulators to recreate the accident—including suddenly losing both engines after sucking in birds at 2,500 feet—repeatedly managed to safely land their virtual airliners at La Guardia."
Captain Sully Is Retiring
Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger who safely landed US Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River last year as well as flight attendant Doreen Welsh are retiring. US Airways CEO Doug Parker said, "I am extremely proud of Captain Sullenberger and Doreen for their quick thinking and courageous actions on January 15, 2009. They exemplify the professionalism and training US Airways' more than 10,000 pilots and flight attendants demonstrate thousands of times every day across our airline. We will miss them and thank them for all they have given to our customers during their years of service with our airline." Sullenberger, whose return to flying last fall was a big event, had been with US Airways since 1980 and Welsh was with the airline since 1970.
Sully's Crash Landing Aircraft 4 Sale!
This is going to make an amazing roadside attraction one day (or perhaps an eatery in Hell's Kitchen?). The aircraft that Capt. Sullenberger gracefully landed in the Hudson River a year ago is now for sale at auction!
Happy Birthday, Bird-Plane-Hudson Miracle Landing!
On Friday it will have been a year since “Miracle on the Hudson”-pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger flawlessly executed a water landing that saved his passengers from near obliteration. The media is already buzzing with updates on the pilot, crew and passengers. And what about those poor geese?
Flight 1549: Now An Eatery in Hell's Kitchen
An eagle-eyed reader noticed that Google Maps has placed US Airways Flight 1549 at West 42nd Street and 10th Avenue. Not only is Google's version of Sullenberger's landing a much more tragic one, blocks from the real watery landing spot in the Hudson... it's also listed as an eatery!
Sully Enters TMI Zone
Flight 1549 captain Chesley Sullenberger has opened up about his life after his heroic landing of a US Airways plane into the Hudson way back in January. But are we ready to know all the details of his personal life? In an NBC "People of the Year" TV special, his wife Laurie tells Matt Lauer, "He doesn't know I'm going to say this, but I had joked the other day that ... the hero sex really helps a 20-year-old marriage." Sully clarified, "Rock star sex."
Sully Has Problems With Flight 1549 Book
Captain Chelsey Sullenberger, the Flight 1549 captain who safely landed a US Airways plane into the Hudson back in January, tells CityRoom that a book about the plane's landing "'greatly overstates how much it mattered' that the plane he landed in the river, an Airbus A320, featured an automated cockpit." William Langwische's Fly by Wire credits the engineers behind A320's automation, but Sullenberger points out both engines were knocked out, "There are some situations where the automation will protect a pilot, but at the same time a highly automated airplane makes possible other types of errors, so it’s a mixed blessing. And greater knowledge is required to fly a highly automated aircraft."
Port Authority Keeps On Pluckin' Canada Geese
Port Authority officials continue to fight off the terror threat posed by Canada geese, employing techniques from falconry to to shotguns to killing their eggs. With Captain Sully being given a hero's welcome back to the skies as he returned to work this week, it seemed time that we better check in on the villain that was disposed of, lest they come back bigger and stronger than ever. Officials from the PA say they are doing just that, not losing any momentum after over 1,000 were "rounded up" this summer.
The Post's Sully Backlash
With Miracle on the Hudson pilot Captain Chesley Sullenberger back in the air, of course there's some grumbling. The Post suggests, "Wimpy US Airways bosses feared... Sullenberger might not be able to hack the media glare of what they billed as his 'return to the air' yesterday," so they had him fly three other flights for prep. A US Airways spokesman explained, "We didn't want to put too much pressure on the guy." Of course, the Post probably has sour grapes since the Daily News was included on one of the earlier flights.
Flight 1549 "Miracle" Pilot: "It's Good To Be Back In New York"
Captain Chesley Sullenberger arrived in NYC this morning and declared, "It feels good to be back in New York. It feels good to be back at work." Even jaded folks at the news conference, held at Laguardia, clapped for Sullenberger as well as his co-pilot Jeffrey Skiles, who were scheduled to make another flight from NYC to Charlotte, NC—just one with a less dramatic ending than Flight 1549.
Sully Takes To The Skies Earlier Than Expected!
With all the hubbub about Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger making his long-awaited return to the skies after his miraculous splash landing of Flight 1549 by flying from Laguardia to Charlotte, North Carolina this afternoon, it turns out that Sully had to get to NYC some how. And that was by flying Flight 1050 from Charlotte to LGA at 7:55 a.m! The Daily News had a reporter and photographer onboard for the scoop.
Sully Flying From Laguardia Tomorrow
Get ready for the Sully media blitz! The US Airways pilot who landed Flight 1549 into the Hudson River safely will be in New York tomorrow: TMZ reports that Chesley Sullenberger's first flight back in the cockpit "will take off from LaGuardia Airport tomorrow and take the same route that would have landed him in Charlotte, North Carolina ... were if it not for those pesky geese." And his co-pilot will be the same as that January 15th flight—Jeffrey Skiles. And we say media blitz because Sully's book comes out on October 13.
Sully! Flight 1549 Captain Heads Back To Work, Has New Book
Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who captured the hearts of many when he safely landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, says that he's ready to fly planes once again. He said yesterday, in a statement from US Airways, "The months since January 15 have been very full, and my family and I have had some unforgettable experiences. However, I have missed working with my colleagues at US Airways and I am eager to get back in the cockpit with my fellow pilots in the months ahead. In my new role, I will continue to be the same kind of advocate for aviation safety that I have been for several decades."
Canada Geese Roundup Continues
The Post, which basically called war on Canada geese after Flight 1549, continues to cover the geese culling/killing, reporting that 300 geese have been killed on Monday and Tuesday: "Death squads targeting Canada geese before they bring down any more commercial jets launched an amphibious assault on Fort Totten Park in Queens -- where they used an armada of kayaks to herd the flying menaces to the shore. Workers from the US Department of Agriculture and city Parks Department then rounded up gaggles of the pesky honkers, put them in crates and drove them on a flatbed truck to a secret location at Kennedy Airport. Officials wouldn't say if they were gassed there or transported to another location to meet their doom." And there are pictures, too. The city and Port Authority are trying to eliminate at least 2,000 geese from the area, in hopes of improving airline safety. Protesters gathered outside the PA's offices in Manhattan; one said, "This is a terrible precedent to set, that anytime there is a problem with wildlife — to just slaughter them is not a way to solve the issue."
100 Geese Down, 1900 More To Go
According to the NY Post, Operation Kill At Least 2,000 NYC Geese is well underway: "Nearly 100 Canada geese were killed yesterday...Agents from the US Department of Agriculture hit four city parks and will continue rounding up the geese this week, said Allen Gosser the department's assistant state director." How did the USDA agents do it? They brought the geese "into a corralled area" and put them in "wooden crates," later gassing them with carbon dioxide. The city and Port Authority are trying to cull/kill geese in order to improve airline safety, since Flight 1549 was brought down when geese flew into the Airbus 320's engines. However, some critics of the plan say some humane measures, like scaring them with fireworks or changing the landscaping, might also be effective. Yes, what about the Geese Police, those cute border collies who help rid areas of geese?
Humane Society's Objections To NYC Plan To Get Rid Of Geese
The Humane Society of the United States has weighed in on New York City's—and the Port Authority's—plan to cull/kill/gas 2,000 geese. The city perceives the geese as a threat to airline safety, given that geese took down US Airways Flight 1549 (Mayor Bloomberg reiterated on his radio show, "We're trying to strike a balance. In the safety of flying, the public trumps the rights of the geese"), but the Humane Society says, "The best and most lasting solution to secure the safety of air travelers as well as preserve wildlife is to reduce the attractiveness of airport-vicinity open space to animals such as waterfowl and to limit access to other creatures."
Bloomberg Supports "Sort of Putting the Geese to Sleep"
Mayor Bloomberg expressed further support for the city and Port Authority's joint plan to kill 2,000 geese during their molting season in order to prevent accidents like the one that left Flight 1549 in the Hudson River. On his radio show yesterday, Bloomberg said, "There are people who care very much about the geese. But in the end, safety of the public is No. 1. There is not a lot of cost involved in rounding up a couple thousand geese and letting them go to sleep with nice dreams. We're trying to strike a balance. In the safety of flying, the public trumps the rights of the geese...(This way is) less stressful way of eliminating geese. They actually use carbon dioxide, and they just sort of go to sleep." Geese in various city parks within five miles of local airports will begin getting rounded into portable pens where they're killed with cabon dioxide-filled chambers on Monday. Wayne Johnson, a "free-land activist," told the Post, "There's a ton of nonlethal alternatives," such as chemical repellents and goose-frightening pyrotechnics.
"Threat To Aviation Safety": 2,000 City Geese To Be Eliminated
In other Flight 1549 news, the city and Port Authority are embarking on a plan to kill at least 2,000 pesky Canada geese living within 5 miles of airports. Mayor Bloomberg said, "The serious dangers that Canada geese pose to aviation became all too clear when geese struck US Airways Flight 1549. The incident served as a catalyst to strengthen our efforts in removing geese from - and discouraging them from nesting on - city property near our runways."
AIG Gives Flight 1549 Victims A Hard Time
Sure, little Damien Sosa was on the cover of People with Flight 1549 Captain Chesley Sullenberger—but his mom and 4-year-old sister are supposed to pay for their own therapy after the scary though miraculous flight. At least that's what U.S. Airways' insurer, AIG, tells the Sosa family, according to the NY Times. While the family has health insurance, Tess Sosa thinks AIG should help foot the bill, "It’s like telling me, ‘We aren’t responsible for this. This is your trauma. You deal with it.'" And when Sosa mentioned the taxpayer bailout, the AIG claims person said "their division didn’t get a cent from the bailout." AIG has offered others passengers $10,000 if they release them further liability. Airline insurance expert Bruce Chadbourne isn't surprised AIG is playing "hardball" but adds, "Even though they’re giving the passengers a hard time, eventually they will be compensated to some extent. There’s no big pot because there’s no death. But there’s still mental distress, and it is a compensatable illness which, eventually, in my opinion, they deserve. They went through hell."
Flight 1549 Passengers Challenge Flight Attendant's Story
After Flight 1549 splash landed into the Hudson River in January—and with everyone surviving—one of the flight attendants, Doreen Welsh, said that a panicked passenger had pushed past her and opened up the rear door, sending water into the cabin. However, a few passengers have told the National Transportation Safety Board that Welsh was actually the one who opened the rear door.
FAA Will Release Bird Strike Data
Today, the Federal Aviation administration will release data on bird strikes, reversing its earlier position that it would keep the information secret. The demand for the bird strike data grew after US Airways Flight 1549 splash-landed into the Hudson earlier this year—birds had hit the plane's engines. The FAA claimed that the data might give people negative perceptions about certain airports or airlines, but lawmakers and the National Transportation Safety Board criticized the attempt at secrecy, pointing out indepedent researchers could help examine the data and provide comparisons. At any rate, bird strikes do happen and they are hard to prevent, though there are programs to limit the populations of birds (specifically Canada geese) at airports. The FAA's new bird strike data website will be here.
Sully's Flight 1549 Co-Pilot Is Back To Flying
Jeffrey Skiles, who was co-pilot to Captain Chesley Sullenberger on Flight 1549, flew his first plane yesterday since the January splash landing in the Hudson. A Daily News reporter was on the Charlotte, NC-to-Detroit flight; Skiles said, "It felt really good. It all came right back to me. I'm a pilot; this is what my whole life is about." He also revealed that he spent a few days in a simulator (to prepare) last week and added, "Actually, it was my wife who said to me, 'When are you going back to work?' She got tired of looking at me." The filght's captain said Skiles' return flight was "flawless" in spite of gusting 30-mph winds. In other Flight 1549 news, one of the flight's survivors testified at an FAA hearing that bird strike data should be made public, "The issue needs to be addressed openly, not swept under the rug."
Full-On Sully Press
While Miracle on the Hudson hero Captain Chesley Sullenberger hasn't been flying planes since splash landing US Airways Flight 1549 into the river back in January, he has been working on his media strategy. Last month, it was announced he was writing two books for HarperCollins' William Morrow imprint. The deal is reportedly worth $3.2 million and one book will be based on "the important lessons that helped him become the man and pilot he is today, including his boyhood, his military service, and the fateful emergency landing" (planned for later this year) and the other's subject is to be determined. Now TLC says it has interviewed Sully for a one-hour documentary—titled "Brace for Impact"—which will air sometime before next January. Till then, you can sate your Sully addiction by watching his and the Flight 1549 crew's 60 Minutes interview again.
NY Waterway in Financial Trouble, May Sue US Airways
When US Airways Flight 1549 crash- (or splash-) landed in the Hudson River on January 15, the first boats to arrive and offer help were NY Waterway ferries, which ultimately took 142 of the 155 passengers and crew from the cold water. Now, the ferry company says it may go bankrupt by the end of the year. And, Crain's reports, "Its situation is so precarious that the company is preparing a lawsuit against US Airways to recoup the expenses it incurred during the rescue effort."
Flight 1549 Crew, Air Traffic Controller Testify at Congress
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.
"Miracle on the Hudson" Pilot Gets Drink
New York's Sully fever shows no signs of breaking; or at least businesses show no sign of giving up trying to cash in on pilot Chesley Sullenberger's life-saving emergency landing in the Hudson River last month. Village pub the Half Pint is in the papers this morning because of their new cocktail, "The Sully," which consists of two shots of Grey Goose vodka and "a splash of water." Carla Iny of Brooklyn tells the Post, "It's a classy drink for a classy man. It's cool and smooth—like Sully." It's only a matter of time before all this adulation goes to Sully's head and he ends up living in Malibu hosting his own reality show like Pimp My Plane or something. Oh well, at least Sully fans now have have something to get wasted on while partying in their "Sully is my copilot" t-shirt.
Confirmed: Canada Geese Hit Flight 1549
After the Smithsonian's analysis of feathers and organic material left in the engines of US Airways Flight 1549, the National Transportation Safety Board said a flock of Canada geese did hit the plane on January 15. With its engines compromised, the Airbus A320 was then forced to land in the Hudson River, with all passengers and crew surviving. However, the NY Times reports it's unclear whether the birds were migratory birds or more native ones from the NY area: "Those that migrate typically weigh from 6 pounds to nearly 11 pounds, the safety board said, but nonmigrating geese are fatter and 'can exceed published records.' Either kind is too much for the engines to handle, however." The NY Post, which basically called war on Canada geese, seems pleased with the identification.
Sully and Flight 1549 Baby on People Cover
Though the Miracle on the Hudson was about a month ago, it's still the month of Sully! Pilot Chesley Sullenberger, whose 60 Minutes interview with other Flight 1549 crew members started off the week, is on the cover of People magazine (on newsstands tomorrow) with the youngest passenger of the flight, 10-month-old Damien Sosa.

