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N0KFQ > TODAY 15.01.16 16:15l 53 Lines 2454 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 81851_N0KFQ
Read: GUEST
Subj: Today in History - Jan 15
Path: IZ3LSV<IR1UAW<IQ5KG<I0OJJ<N6RME<N0KFQ
Sent: 160115/1515Z 81851@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA BPQ1.4.65
2009
Sully Sullenberger performs Miracle on the Hudson
On this day in 2009, a potential disaster turned into a heroic
display of skill and composure when Captain Chesley Burnett
Sullenberger III safely landed the plane he was piloting on New
York City's Hudson River after a bird strike caused its engines
to fail. David Paterson, governor of New York at the time, dubbed
the incident the "miracle on the Hudson." Sullenberger, a former
fighter pilot with decades of flying experience, received a slew
of honors for his actions, including an invitation to Barack
Obama's presidential inauguration and resolutions of praise from
the U.S. Congress.
About a minute after taking off from New York's La Guardia
Airport on January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 collided with
one of the aviation industry's most threatening foes: a flock of
geese. Crippled by the bird strike, both engines lost power and
went quiet, forcing Captain Sullenberger to make an emergency
landing. When air traffic controllers instructed the seasoned
pilot to head for nearby Teterboro Airport, he calmly informed
them that he was "unable" to reach a runway. "We're gonna be in
the Hudson," he said simply, and then told the 150 terrified
passengers and five crew members on board to brace for impact.
Ninety seconds later, Sullenberger glided the Airbus 320 over the
George Washington Bridge and onto the chilly surface of the
Hudson River, where it splashed down midway between Manhattan and
New Jersey. As flight attendants ushered passengers into life
jackets, through emergency exits and onto the waterlogged wings
of the bobbing jet, a flotilla of commuter ferries, sightseeing
boats and rescue vessels hastened to the scene. One survivor
suffered two broken legs and others were treated for minor
injuries or hypothermia, but no fatalities occurred. After
walking up and down the aisle twice to ensure a complete
evacuation, Sullenberger was the last to leave the sinking plane.
In October 2009, the now-famous pilot, known to his friends as
"Sully," published a book about his childhood, military
background and career entitled "Highest Duty: My Search for What
Really Matters." He retired from US Airways after 30 years in the
airline industry on March 3, 2010, and has since devoted his time
to consulting, public speaking and advocating for aviation
safety.
73, K.O. n0kfq
N0KFQ @ N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA
E-mail: kohiggs@gmail.com
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