My town of Danville, California, welcomed home our hero Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger just hours ago:
My wife and daughter took a lot of pictures that we're trying to create a slideshow of. I'll get that posted as soon as I figure out how to do it.
*****Update: AP has another interesting video concerning Saturday's celebration...
Here's the best video yet of yesterday's events:
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Wow, Noel. That is so cool.
January 24, 2009 - 18:55 ET by QueenMumWow, Noel. That is so cool. Sullenberger seems to be very humble about the whole thing. Or is it just a matter of him honestly feeling he was just doing his job? Danville certainly has a reason to feel proud. I especially liked Mrs. Sullenberger's words about how nice it was to come home to Danville.
QM
January 24, 2009 - 19:04 ET by Noel SheppardQM,
It was a special day for all of us. And, her comments about Danville were so spot on. I've lived here since 1986 and I quite agree with her sentiments. ns
He is being modest. I've
January 25, 2009 - 16:02 ET by GrannyGrump42He is being modest. I've read the man's CV -- he never missed an opportunity to be a better pilot, never missed an opportunity to improve flight safety. I'm going to use his CV in a workshop about how to be the best you can be in your life and your work.
One Word
January 24, 2009 - 18:59 ET by AnotherFedUpOneCLASS!
Congratulations on your well deserved recognition Captain
Thanks Noel for posting this...
Terrific!
January 24, 2009 - 19:13 ET by bravefacariI just happened to have a chance to watch the whole thing and I loved every minute of it! Great Americana at its best, honoring a local hero. Just terrific!
Sullenberger is one hell of a good pilot
January 24, 2009 - 22:07 ET by R D HelmThat was some seriously nifty flying that man did to ditch that plane in such a way that it remained intact.
That doesn't usually happen in airliner ditchings, as the fairly high speed required to keep those heavy planes airborne is very high, and very destructive.
-Dave
“Them that’s going get on the wagon. Them that ain’t get out of the way.” -While there is still time.
Congratulations Mr.
January 24, 2009 - 20:05 ET by BKeyserCongratulations Mr. Sullenberger. You are a role model to all aspiring pilots, and a credit to your profession.
One of the cable news
January 24, 2009 - 20:37 ET by Chris NormanOne of the cable news networks - must've been CNN (because I've deleted MSNBC from my remote) had a headline last night implying that the US Airways crew were being quarantined or something to that effect. On O'Reilly last night, the Great Geraldo announced that he had evidence that it wasn't a bird strike that caused the plane to lose power - instead, it was airline negligence on engine maintenance. He said he would reveal "the facts" tonight on "Geraldo Rivera (is still) At Large". Whatever, Captain Sullenberger is a hero.
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
I'm surprised that FOX
January 24, 2009 - 21:13 ET by Mean Gene Dr. LoveI'm surprised that FOX News still employs Geraldo. Has Geraldo even inspected the 1st stage fan blades, the compressor stages, the core/comustion chamber, or the turbine sections of a jet engine after a bird strike? I have, and it's not pretty. Even the smallest of birds can cause devastating amounts of damage to a jet engine. Even a single screw ingested in a jet engine can destroy the engine.
"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life." --Robert A. Heinlein, "Beyond This Horizon," 1942
Dr. Love, Geraldo's
January 24, 2009 - 21:47 ET by Chris NormanDr. Love,
Geraldo's continued employment is mystery to both of us - and others. FoxNews sure isn't increasing it's gravitas and respectability by keeping him around. He claims that one of the compressors had been giving trouble two days before and US Airways had negligently kept the plane in service. As no one else has picked up on this, I'm suspicious that he's dipping his pail in the tabloid conspiracy pool again. I mean the MSM would love the "negligence angle" if it had - er - wings....
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
Chris.... He is the
January 24, 2009 - 21:55 ET by bigtimerChris....
He is the perfect human form of despicable.
Yeah,
January 24, 2009 - 23:51 ET by dervishO'Reilly hisownself was wondering where Sullenberger was, sort of implying that something suspicious was going on. I hope he reads this blog (rather, that his minions do).
So far the evidence is a
January 25, 2009 - 16:04 ET by GrannyGrump42So far the evidence is a bird strike. The damage to the engines was consistent with bird strike, and a feather was found in one of the engines, along with "organic matter" -- which I take to mean "hot puree of goose".
It would be a pleasure to
January 24, 2009 - 21:09 ET by BlazerIt would be a pleasure to fly on Capt. Sullenberger's bird. Helluva pilot, one helluva human being.
Remind's me of Capt. Bob Pearson and his Gimli Glider.
http://www.damninter...
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
Danville is my hometown.
January 24, 2009 - 22:03 ET by CooltomDanville is my hometown. Moved there at age 2 in 1953. Graduated from San Ramon in 1968. Wonderful town to grow up in. Much more rural and small-townish then.
Cool
January 24, 2009 - 23:10 ET by Noel SheppardCool,
Welcome, neighbor. :-) ns
Thank you Mr. Sullenburger
January 25, 2009 - 00:29 ET by TN MomThank you Mr. Sullenburger for your grace and humility...you are a true HERO!
I just keep thinking, what
January 25, 2009 - 00:38 ET by AizlynneI just keep thinking, what are the odds of having a successful outcome, and 100% at that.
Those passengers are probably very grateful that they beat the odds big time by having a skilled pilot who did a great job of showing a level head and steady leadership at a time it is needed most.
I think the modesty reflected on the video was genuine, and probably just shows the depth and character of the man in general.
Thanks for posting ...
He was able to do what he
January 25, 2009 - 16:05 ET by GrannyGrump42He was able to do what he did because he made a point of studying and improving. Read the guy's CV -- it's on The Smoking Gun. He spent his life preparing for that moment, never really thinking it was going to actually happen. But when it did, he was ready.
The last jet aircraft miracle Aloha flight 243
January 25, 2009 - 00:54 ET by upcountrywaterPop -top voice
Pop top video
here is a dose of information
The pilot landed hot ( excess of 250 kts) on a 7,000 ft runway.
Flying slower the plane felt like it was flexing!
Looking over his shoulder all he could see was SKY !!
Nice that the controls ran through the floor.
i heard this on news radio, oh a hole in the airplane.. So I thought a size ummm like 2 feet in size.... Oh well..
Now you know why billions of miles traveled and no deaths.
GREAT JOB!!!!
FREEDOM
(D)
→ Geraldo to sling mud
January 25, 2009 - 11:27 ET by Cool ArrowLast week on O'Reilly, Geraldo said he was investigating the propensity of this individual airplane to stall on takeoff.
An immediate turnaround of this plane was allegedly required one week before the birdstrike incident.
Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country - Muslim, Khalil Gibran
Hometown
January 26, 2009 - 10:40 ET by texasag03I hope Captain Sullenberger comes to my hometown, Denison, Texas, where he grew up and graduated high school.