Flight 1549 pilot: God bless Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger!
CNN identifies the pilot of Flight 1549 as Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger.
This is providential: Sullenberger heads up an aviation safety firm. He is a USAF veteran.
He walked the plane twice to make sure no passengers were left behind.
Two passengers, Jeff Kolodnay and Alberto Panero, both recounted that the pilot advised them before making his incredible landing: “Brace for the impact.”
More from his website:
SRM Founder Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger, III is a captain for a major U.S. airline with over 40 years of flying experience. A former U.S. Air Force (USAF) fighter pilot, he has served as an instructor and Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) safety chairman, accident investigator and national technical committee member. He has participated in several USAF and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident investigations. His ALPA safety work led to the development of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Advisory Circular. Working with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientists, he coauthored a paper on error inducing contexts in aviation. He was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Crew Resource Management (CRM) course used at his airline and has taught the course to hundreds of his colleagues. Sully is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy (B.S.), Purdue University (M.S.) and the University of Northern Colorado (M.A.). He was a speaker on two panels at the High Reliability Organizations (HRO) 2007 International Conference in Deauville, France May 29-31, 2007. He has just been named a Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley.
Here is his LinkedIn page.
*
President & CEO
Safety Reliability Methods, Inc.(Privately Held; Airlines/Aviation industry)
January 2007 — Present (2 years 1 month)
Providing technical expertise and strategic vision and direction to improve safety and reliability in a variety of high risk industries.
*
Captain
USAirways(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; LCC; Airlines/Aviation industry)
February 1980 — Present (29 years)
Captain for major U. S. passenger airline, serving North America, Europe, Latin America, Caribbean and Hawaii with large jet equipment. Responsible for all aspects of safety and security pertaining to flight, including planning, preparation and aircraft servicing. Leader of crew and responsible for passengers and aircraft. Involved in development and implementation of the first Crew Resource Management (CRM) training course used at the airline. As a Check Airman, was responsible for the training and supervision of other airline pilots transitioning to another aircraft type or upgrading to Captain. Served as an Air Line Pilots Association Local Air Safety Chairman and Accident Investigator and national technical committee member.
*
Fighter Pilot/Captain
United States Air Force(Government Agency; 10,001 or more employees; Military industry)
June 1973 — February 1980 (6 years 9 months)
USAF officer and fighter pilot on F-4 aircraft. Experience in Europe, Asia and at Nellis AFB, Nevada, where I served as Blue Force Mission Commander in Red Flag joint exercises. Was a member of a USAF aircraft accident investigation board. Served as a flight training officer and unit deployment and war plans officer. Commended for writing wing after action report.
C. B. “Sully” Sullenberger’s Education
*
University of Northern ColoradoM. P. A., Public Administration, 1978 — 1979
*
Purdue UniversityM. S., Psychology (Human Factors), 1973 — 1973
Activities and Societies:
Studied human/machine interface and human performance issues under Dr. Ernest J. McCormick.*
United States Air Force AcademyB. S., Psychology and Basic Sciences, 1969 — 1973
Activities and Societies:
Dean’s List, Recipient of the Outstanding Cadet in Airmanship award for 1973, selected for Cooperative Masters Program for academic excellence and completed M. S. at Purdue University 1973, selected for independent research program at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, USAF Systems Command Research Center
***
NYPost interviews the pilot’s wife:
He is the consummate pilot,” said Lorrie Sullenberger of her hubby, who is an US Air Force Academy grad who flew F-4 fight planes while in the Air Force. “He is about performing that airplane to the exact precision to which it is made.”
The pilot is president and CEO of a company called Safety and Reliability Methods Inc, which says it provides “technical expertise and strategic vision and direction to improve safety and reliability in a variety of high risk industries.”
“My body won’t stop shaking,” said Lorrie, who has two daughters with Sullenberger.
But, she added, after speaking to him, “I think he’s fine. “I’m relieved.”
***
Stacy McCain makes a very astute observation: “The passengers aboard the plane reportedly prayed as they made their descent toward the Hudson River. It would appear, however, that their prayers were answered before they ever boarded the plane.”
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“He never got fazed by anything. He was just so calm.”
January 17, 2009 04:20 PM by Michelle Malkin
37 Comments
Plane down: US Airways disaster miracle in Hudson River; Update: All survived? Passenger: “Everyone prayed”
January 15, 2009 03:49 PM by Michelle Malkin
75 Comments
Categories: Flight 1549
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God Bless Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger.
This guy rocks.
SALUTE to you Sully. A true hero!
He did well.
The passengers were fortunate he was not a product of Affirmative Action, or denied his position because of it.
If I owned a private jet, I would be looking you up sir. You are a hero! Great job in an impossible situation. Your crew deserves a nod as well!
WTG crew!
What the hell is wrong with you?
Good work, Sully, and God bless ya!
Well trained, cool as cucumber. If John Wayne were alive today, he would want to play the role of this guy in the movies, I’m sure.
Thank you for your stout heart and clear head Captain Sullenberger. It is men like you that make America what it is. Thank you.
Fighter Pilot/Captain
United States Air Force
That says it all!!!!!!!!!!
The saddest part of this is that this captain – like a dear friend of mine now deceased – will be forced to give up his Captaincy at age 62, by FAA rules.
My buddy – retired USMC CAS/Attack pilot, USMC Instructor Pilot, Blue Angels designate, Captain for World Airways for years, flew hundreds of men back from Vietnam as captain of Freedom Bird’s – was relegated to the F/O seat though he was medically sound and capable – with a cut in pay. Captain Sullenberger – for all his airmanship – will suffer the same fate.
It’s astonishing that these totally capable and experienced Pilots will be forced to give up the job they love due to a ridiculously administered “rule” by the FAA. Pilots must qualify twice yearly on simulators and are medically grounded and lose flight privileges for ailments so petty the average person would not believe it. Totally controllable ailments like Diabetes will ground a pilot.
I believe drivingjack was referring to misguided affirmative action stories like this botched affirmative action.
When I fly on an airliner or have surgery, I want the BEST qualified candidate, not the most “diverse”.
Not bad a former F-4 pilot! Tough airplane to fly especially during aerial refueling (had way too many close calls). We used to joke about them proving that if you gave a brick enough thrust it would fly. Something to be said about having a highly experienced pilot aboard when things get ugly. Well Done Sir!
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE (mo-lone lah-veh) Translation: Come and take them!
Sully = hero!
I’m sure he’ll say he was “just doing his job.”
To paraphrase “The Right Stuff”
Is that a man there?
You are damn right, that’s a Man!
He could get a good job flying with the private jet rental company, Flexjet.
OH! for shame. You don’t what affirmative action for pilots.
How did he become a visiting scholar at Berzerkely ? Well, at least, he’s only visiting. Great Job.
Here’s to him, and those like him…
Damn few of them left.
Berkeley? Well nobody’s perfect. However he does 99.9% walk on water; and ditches in water pretty good too.
Before reading this resume I was thinking that God was riding co-pilot today. However, it appears he was only there for some refresher flight training from Sully.
What a record and what a professional.
Providential, indeed. I have no doubt the captain quickly organized the crew for the smooth evacuation and rescue.
Angels were with this plane today.
God bless this pilot, his crew, the passengers and the boat captains that rushed to their aide.This was a true miracle.
Men like this build ones spirit . . . and believe me we need it after hearing about these crooked, wormy politicians all day long.
I almost never post on these types of threads but….
You, sir, are a real hero. Your crew as well.
Bravo Zulu (“well done” in Navy-speak, in this form is high praise) to Captain Sullenberger, his crew, and the rescuers!
Not many men can say they are directly responsible for saving 150 lives.
Well done sir, well done.
“He walked the plane twice to make sure no passengers were left behind.”
This, more than anything, tells you about the quality of this man.
Courage and nerves of steel! This man is a hero! Well done, Sully.
Good form! Boat drinks! (clink!)
Today’s outcome proves there is no substitute for skill, experience and preparedness. Usually required for important jobs (except in the case of US President I suppose)!
An American veteran using his knowledge to save lives, not uncommon at all, but rarely reported by a military hating media.
Thanks Sulley for everything you do for us everyday, and especially for the spectacular performance today!
A real American hero! Well done, Capt. Sullenberger!
Before you put fingers to keyboard, everyone on that aircraft was blessed by God.
It is a fine thought though.
Bravo to Sully and his crew!
Sully practices what he preached. Excellent.
Thank you, and God Bless You, Sully!!!
For those wondering about the Berkley connection, Sully’s resume says:
I’d say Sully proved today that he is an expert in
Catastrophic Risk Management!!!
On January 15th, 2009 at 7:37 pm, chapoutier said:
I’m proud of you, chap!
Yeah. I’d say this is a petty good advert for his safety consulting business. Beyond more than a few beers, I’d say he’s earned about a 75% increase in his billable rate.
I wonder if he could provide some consultation on the impending zomb-
Nah….I won’t go there.
Sully will never pay for a drink in NYC after today. They should have him press the button for the 2010 New Years Eve ball drop in Times Square.
Do any of you understand that landing in water is nearly impossible and is the LAST resort. Flipping over, having a wing torn off, lots of possibilities of certain disaister. This pilot really did perform a miracle. He should be given a medal!
Clearly an amazing man – he has a bit more about his USAF service on his resume and it looks like he was quite the pilot then as well.
Kudos also to the crew and the various rescue folks who got those people off the wings safely (including FDNY I believe).
Bob, you are correct…the ability to ditch on water is AMAZING. The odds were very much against him. What an amazing show of skill (plus some amazing good fortune).
I understand that controllers were trying to route him to Teterboro (TEB), but I can’t imagine he had enough altitude and speed to get there.
I am utterly, totally amazed and impressed…this man did a fantastic job.
Awesome american. Libs don’t raise ‘em to grow up this heroic.
Not to dampen any accomplishment but actually to enhance it, I have to say that “Miracle”, like “green” and “awesome” and “unthinkable”, is a grossly abused term that dilutes its ultra special meaning. As supremely wonderful as it is, a birth isn’t a “miracle”; cats are having “miracles” behind my garage every few months., and neither was this amazing landing. You ascribe superb training, superior nerve and skill to this flight crew and a fraction of good chance for this safe ditching and not overlook and dilute all that by calling it a “miracle”. Dead passengers all awakening from a fatal crash, THAT’s a miracle.
James Greenidge
Queens, New York
Let’s hope that the MSM will leave him alone. If they find out he has any conservative values at all, they’ll dub him “Chesley the pilot” and investigate the heck out of him. Watching the news reminded me of the Air Florida crash and sitting in a restaurant, watching emergency vehicles with boats racing up I-95. Very happy it turned out differently and all survived.
Kudos to all…..
The Pilots for performing a perfect “ditch” under emergency condition.
The Flight Attendants for performing a textbook emergency evacuation.
The Passengers for performing an orderly evacuation.
The Emergency Rescue Personnel for performing a rapid response.
Last but not least, Airbus for building an aircraft (A320) that withstood a catastrophic impact and remained intact.
Awesomeness!!!
Way to go, Air Force!
God Bless Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger.
Help him and all of the passengers get through this ordeal.
Well done!
But why haven’t we heard anything about the co-pilot?
It’s worth noting that Captain Sullenberger is a product of the hyper-competent military which folks like John Kerry think only stupid and uneducated people join and end up in Iraq.
150 people going home and seeing their family instead of being frozen corpses in the Hudson. That is a miracle.
Have to agree with J.Greenidge. Before reading this resume I was ready to apply the term miracle to this event but I am less inclined to do so now. Sully spent 40 years getting ready for yesterday’s 5 minute flight and his resume proves it. If this is a miracle, it started 40 years ago and was lived a day at a time in serious dedication to a profession. Was luck on his side? Yes. Minimal crosswind, slow current, no boat under his path in a heavy water traffic area, etc, etc were strokes of luck. But Sully made the right decisions and pulled the right levers because he had prepared himself for years to do so. Heck, he was more than prepared for this. He put his aircraft on the water in the right attitude at the right place and ended up with a floating, intact plane because of skill honed over many years, not because of a miracle. Applying the term miracle to his performance demeans his skill and his life’s work. People who haven’t done equal preparation in their lives might view Sully’s performance as a miracle. However, if they would all turn off Oprah, Britney, and Bradgellina and engross themselves in a meaningful life work they could and would be walking “miracles” themselves. That should be the lesson taken from this, but it is a lesson that is getting lost in the hype.
Mookie, I was a T-38 instructor pilot when the AF began a concerted effort to increase minority representation among pilots. You would NOT believe the gyrations we had to go through to ensure that they graduated.
We had to give them extra flights not made available to non-minority students. Sometimes one or two extra sorties was all it took for a student to “get it”; however, when a non-minority student flew the syllabus-directed number of sorties and hadn’t mastered what was required for that phase of training, they were GONE! Minority students were given those extra flights.
I also administered the three “check” flights for students in the T-38 phase of training (6 months in duration). I flew with US and foreign students of every race and many nationalities and the students “busted” on those check flights for failing to meet standards were given a few “review” sorties to master what they had failed and then flew a re-check. Every one of the minority students passed their re-check, but the non-minority students had about a 25% failure rate on their re-checks.
When scheduling training events, non-minority students could have two and maybe even three training activities in a day — a combination of simulator and flight sorties. On top of that, they could be directed to spend time at the “learning center” (a multi-media venue where students could review procedures and techniques to apply to their flying). They also got “additional duties” where they would be posted to the Runway Supervisory Unit to record an instructor’s comments about the landings being practiced by other students. Finally, there was duty at the Squadron Snack Bar — an activity to raise money in the squadron plus make quick snacks available during the day as we often started early (4AM briefings) and flew late (last landing at 2AM) — times when the retail facilities on base were closed.
Minority students were restricted to one flying or one simulator sortie per day plus learning center time. They were NOT scheduled for any additional duties so they could study and prepare for their flights and simulators. Non-minority students had to similarly prepare and do the extra “stuff.”
When students completed the T-38 phase, they were awarded their wings. VERY few minority students finished high enough in the class to qualify for fighters because some have only a pilot and navigator (F-4, F-15E, F-111) while others have only a pilot (A-10, F-15 C, and F-16). The vast majority of minoirty pilots went to “crewed” aircraft (like cargo aircraft) where they flew as a co-pilot for several years. This was like more training.
Question: “Mookie, would YOU want to be a passenger in an airplane flown by the product of such a program?”
I have no problem whatsoever with the color of a person’s skin, but I do want to know that the pilot flying the airplane I am on, the surgeon wielding the scalpel over me or the judge sitting in chambers is indeed highly qualified to be there and NOT because of the color of their skin!
nail49 everything you said in your last post may be true, but you know what your first post sounded like?
“Thank God the pilot was white.”
nail49:
ahem
F-111′s had pilots and weapons systems officers, not navigators.
True. Perhaps soon there will be a change on this. There are enough tests administered to pilots for them to retain their flight readiness that chronological age should not be an outright disqualification!
Chap: OK, perhaps I should have said, “Thank God the pilot was NOT the product of the system I was exposed to.” But, you must have on your liberal reading glasses to arrive at what you allege I meant!
To set you straight…If ANY pilot meets or exceeds the standards, I will fly with them. If a pilot is “promoted” through the system to make the system appear “fair” and they are NOT competent, I don’t want to be in the same sky with them.
I “busted” and I “passed” students (non-minority and minority) based on meeting the standards required to wear pilot’s wings. What I saw was minority students getting extra sorties not made available to non-minority students just so the minority student could remain in the program. Under the same circumstances, the non-minority student was sent packing.
Incidentally, I was a flight instructor when “Sully” went through AF flight school and I may have flown with him — I will have to go check my records.
JHSII: A mere technicality — they wore navigator wings and were qualified navigators, flying as weapon system officers.
BTW: They were designated officers and NOT operators so that they were NOT replaced by flying sergeants!
BTW-II: One of the “flying sergeants” from WWII was a guy named Carrol Shelby — yes, the one who built FAST cars!
No you pretty much stated clearly that your natural position when you see a pilot is to presume his competency based on his skin color, until proven otherwise. Maybe you say your experience bears out this presumption, bt at least own up to it.
They really need to rethink this. Being 60 myself, I can say that I feel sharper than at any other time in my life. To prove it I went back to college for a PHD in Math. I think we have enough technology today to test that his mind and reactions are still sharp. I bet they will be for years to come.
BTW: He was at Northern Colorado same time I was
Wow! You must be channeling somebody else’s thoughts here, because I never said nor implied such a thing.
I base a person’s competency on their demonstrated performance. Every flight where I was instructing or evaluating a person, there was no such thing as color, only competence.
If you read anything else into my statements, you are showing your prejudice.
Anybody else here agree with Chap on this one?
nail,
My apologies, actually. I assumed you were replying to Mookie’s response to a statement by you. The original offensive statement (and yes I do think it is offensive) was by someone else.
Again, my apologies.
Apology accepted.
I was beginning to wonder what was going on!
Well, to the extent that the first person’s comment was unnecessary and offensive, yes. But I see Chap that you read further up the thread. I was starting to think your inauguration celebration drinking was starting early. Or a zombie had infected you.
But nail49, your post was on target. As a civilian flight instructor (nowhere near the level of what you did) I understand your frustration with dealing with that situation. The job is to produce skilled pilots and weed out those that shouldn’t be allowed to cross the street without holding someone else’s hand.
That said, skin color is irrelevant. If people are being blocked from their choice of profession because of skin color, clearly that is wrong to say the least. The “fix”…aka…”affirmative action” just reversed the discrimination and created situations like you described. Which is why it doesn’t work and should be made to go away.
nail49:
I only said that because I used to work with those guys!!
God Bless Sully!
Here’s a song for you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGb3uDUCkGY&feature=related
Some of my best friends were WSOs! Hah!
Ooops, I had better watch out, Chap will be after me again!
Actually, I had WSOs in the back seat of some of my combat missions in Vietnam (we had a mission that required them, but not every mission). I was glad they were there — an extra set of eyes looking for unfriendly fire!
nail49 – My specialty was avionics and countermeasures, so I have a good idea of the reliability of the early systems and the need for as many eyes as you could get.
You should be glad that it’s only Chap and not the guy who’s now started searching the internet for any other forums that I’ve ever been on in an effort to twist what I’ve posted and attack me with it.
I’ve started calling it SDS.
Ref Post 7: Personal experience and observation: Affirmative Action is (and has been) a problem in the airline industry. Examples abound, but not for this thread.
He was the right man for the right job.
Ref Post 53:
“nail49 everything you said in your last post may be true, but you know what your first post sounded like?
“Thank God the pilot was white.”
In your mind, only.
Thank God the pilot was skilled, able and ready—something that can’t be said of those that got by in UPT by having a Samsonite handle stapled on their back.
Hulka: I hope you continued to read and understand I NEVER made nor implied such a comment. It was from an earlier post to which I was responding.
I agree with your “Samsonite handle” statement. I had an Iranian student I wouldn’t clear for T-38 solo flights because he was dangerous in my judgment. My “Buddy IP” (a more experienced IP who mentored me for my first six months of instructor duty) took him up and cleared him to fly solo.
Shortly thereafter a call came into our flight on the intercom from the front office “Will Lt Khosravi’s IP please come to the Ops desk with his gradebook?” I handed the Lt’s gradebook to my “Buddy IP” and said, “He’s your problem, not mine.”
The Lt survived (barely) but he never flew solo again and eventually was eliminated from pilot training and returned to Iran. However, when he went home he was allowed to pin on Iranian wings because he had soloed in the T-38 in the USAF flight training program. He started out flying C-130′s and did well enough to eventually upgrade to fighters. He started in the F-5, but was killed while “flat-hatting” and, fortunately, he was the only fatality — nobody else died due to his incompetence.
I used to have a poster depicting an old photo of a biplane that had crashed into and was still suspended in a tree. Below the tree are people looking up at the wreckage.
The poster said, “Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous, but to a degree even greater than the sea is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity, or neglect.”
What we witnessed in NY yesterday was a careful, capable and alert pilot plying his trade.
I watched a T-38 crash off the end of the runway in San Antonio one morning when they ingested a flock of “cowbirds” (very small birds). There were so many sucked down the intakes they literally caused both engines to seize! The instructor and student pilot safely ejected and the plane landed in an open field. The IP nearly landed in the middle of rush-hour traffic – that would have been a terrible ending!
When I was a commanding an F-16 squadron one of my pilots took a Turkey buzzard (big birds!) down the intake. His engine ran for several minutes until it also seized. He managed to “dead-stick” the airplane at Tampa International and was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary flight for his actions.
I’m impressed by the F-16 incident because that’s one of the reasons that the USN chose the F-18 over the F-16 – the F-16 only has one engine.
I saw a picture once, amny years ago, of an F-15 that a pilot successfully landed. Normally that wouldn’t have been a big deal – except that in that case there was only about a foot (or less) of the right wing remaining attatched to the aircraft.
I always wanted to look at the book for that F-15 just to see what kind of write-ups were made.
red(X) Missing Right Wing.
I was also curious about what he could have hit in mid-air that would have done that to an F-15. Those are pretty sturdy aircraft!
JHSII: It was a mid-air collision with another fighter. It happened in Israel. Google “Israeli F-15 mid-air collision” and you might get a video.
An old joke involving recip engines and crew chief responses to a “write-up.”
Pilot entry in the maintenance forms: “Right engine missing.”
Crew Chief entry in response to pilot’s write-up: “Right engine found on right wing.”
Another old joke from the maintenance forms:
“Does not work in OFF mode”
Yet another old joke:
Pilot’s entry:
“Something loose in cockpit”
Crew Chief’s response:
“Something tightened in cockpit.”
Of course, there is the old saw:
“Aviation is hours and hours of utter boredom interspersed with moments of sheer terror!”
Mr. Sullenberger (and his co-pilot) are the kind of people we Marines aspire to become more like.
Sully is an example for all of us. We are in a crisis in this country and it is time to act. Americans aren’t whiners, we are doers. Maybe instead of complaining about the local park being littered, as I did recently, we can clean it up ourselves. Give somebody a lift that needs a ride, do something without being told by the government it’s a good thing. The list of things that need to be done is endless. But, on the bright side, people like Sully are not alone, let’s get off our ass and make this a better country.
Now that the jubilation has settled down, I think it’s important to point something out.
No rational airline pilot wishes to be called a hero.
It’s true. If you are called that….name, it means that something very bad has happened. It means that you undoubtedly had something to do with the situation (even if you were the reason the situation turned out well).
It means you will be put under the microscope by the Feds, and the passenger’s attorneys, and whatever dimwitted reporter is staked out at the front of the terminal after the accident/incident (your company always prohibits you from talking to the press – It’s in the Employee Handbook! READ IT! NOW!!).
It means that you dare not pick up the phone when it rings once you get home (unless you have caller ID).
It means you are probably not going to be able to leave the house for awhile, and when you do, you’re going to have to replant that area out by the sidewalk, where said dimwitted press types have been holed up waiting to dry gulch you in an interview (that you have to hide from anyway).
You’re probably going to end up in civil court for the remainder of your natural life while the legion of passenger lowlifes are competing in the Great American Lottery (lawsuits).
If you get the aircraft safely to the gate (or otherwise), and if you get the last passenger safely off the aircraft (or otherwise), and if you’re able to walk off the plane (or otherwise), then you will have to run the press gauntlet at the front of the terminal.
I’ve known guys that have foreseen the impending inquisition, and changed into their civvies before walking out of the terminal, and then hidden in the parking lot until one of the other crewmembers could rent a van and sneak everyone off airport property.
There is no percentage for a line pilot in being called that….name. It’s not like the military, where you get to wear a nice medal (there’s no place to wear it anyway), or maybe get a promotion because of it (your seniority system limits that). You certainly won’t get raise or a bonus for it (your union contract limits that as well).
No, being called a hero is never a good thing for an airline pilot. If you make the mistake of doing so to his/her face we will smile, offer our embarrassed thanks, and rapidly scurry off since we’ve been recognized (never a good thing). If you are kind, just write a short note thanking us for saving your lives, and give it to a flight attendant (she’ll get it to us). We can read it when we’re alone. That’s a nice thing to do. A private expression of gratitude is always the best. We usually don’t have enough time alone, at home, as it is.
Ref Post 70: No issue with you, nail49. . .I knew the point you were trying to make and was responding to the comment challenging your observation–in his mind only.
I, like you, flew fighters in the USAF, and I was in ATC back when the push was to get females in the cockpit and graduated. Samsonite handles were necessary because no matter how many started the class, at LEAST one was going to graduate-skills or no skills. No matter what it took, extra rides, an extra 88 or 89, whatever it took, she was going to graduate.
As far as affirmative action is concerned, yes indeed, it is unfortunate but whenever I see a doctor, lawyer, pilot that is not white and male, I have 100% confidence that person made the cut through ability, only. Racist? Not really. Just a realization that standards are flexible because of affirmative action, which if we are talking about selling shoes for a living might not matter all that much, but flexible standards when we are dealing with life-or-death situations, there should be one inflexible standard—either you met the standard or you didn’t. No special favors.
Actually, should read: “. . .whenever I see a doctor, lawyer, pilot that is white and male, I have 100% confidence that person made the cut through ability, only.
CNN interview with his wife…That’s his job… Humility is so pleasantly surprising and, don’t most heros do it because it’s the right thing to do? Sad, that he will be retired in 5 years merely because of his arbitrary age. Does anyone remember the Iowa crash that, no one thought could be survivable but, was due to the experienced check-pilot in the cockpit? United Airlines flight 232 crashed in Sioux City, Iowa. Praise to these former military fliers with their dedication.
Sioux City Approach: United Two Thirty-Two Heavy, the wind’s currently three six zero at one one; three sixty at eleven. You’re cleared to land on any runway.
Haynes: [laughter] Roger. [laughter] You want to be particular and make it a runway, huh?[4]
These people are the true heroes.
The National Transportation Safety Board investigation reported that after subsequent reconstructions of the accident in flight simulators, it was deemed that training for such an event involved too many factors to be practical. While some level of control was possible, no precision could be achieved and a landing under these conditions was stated to be “a highly random event”. The NTSB further noted that “under the circumstances the UAL flightcrew performance was highly commendable and greatly exceeded reasonable expectations. In other words, In the simulator, they could not manage to do as well as a sharp, cool, well-trained crew could achieve.
Why would anyone think, our well-trained warriors would do any less ?
The odds against all three hydraulic systems failing simultaneously had previously been calculated as high as a billion to one.[10] A similar failure had occurred four years previously when Japan Airlines flight 123 suffered a structural failure that left it without any hydraulic controls. (Thank God, people can calculate probabilities correctly.)
All info from, wikipedia…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines_Flight_232
Anyone surprised that, our military show-cases true heroism; is deluded IMO.
” He’s a pilot’s pilot ” Wife says…
Habib,
I truly hope you are not right, though I suspect that much of it is.
In fact, when I went to CNN.com today the headline read “NTSB quizzes Pilot” or something like that. And my first thought was “quizzes?” “Quizzes?” What the hell? I mean I guess I get what they were saying…trying to ascertain the cause of the accident. But the language seemed just a bit under the surface inquisitorial. And that made me sad.
I think most civil lawyers, need a life-changing experience, Chap…
Post # 83 shows that cool-heads prevail, mostly.
BTW, Making any Chili this week-end, Chap? I’m curious what your secret spice is.
I am sure it is not THAT uncommon but it is….cinnamon.
A very small pinch for a large batch of chili.
It, oddly enough, adds another savory undertone to the sauce.
I’ll have to give that a whirl next batch.