Chesley Sullenberger
Chesley Burnett " Sully " Sullenberger III ( born January 23, 1951 in Denison, Texas) is an American pilot. He led in 2009 successful ditching of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River through.
Sullenberger graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy, Purdue University and the University of Northern Colorado and was fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, 1980, he was the commercial pilot. He is also an active glider pilot. He was safety officer and instructor pilot union Alpa, air accident experts at the U.S. competent authority NTSB, Member of the National Technical Committee and has created numerous accident reports for the Air Force and American authorities. He informed the Alpa members on new findings in the field of air traffic control and prepared in training hundreds of crew members on the behavior in emergencies before. He also worked as a consultant for operational safety and was a guest lecturer for Disaster Management at the University of California at Berkeley.
The airlines also for difficult economic time after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 his salary was reduced by 40%, ended his pension claims and replaced by his opinion worthless promises. In a hearing of the Aviation Subcommittee of the House he described it in February 2009 as a result of deregulation began in the 1970s. No pilot would have his children to take up this profession. Experienced crews are a thing of the past.
Sullenberger is considered prudent and with approximately 19,000 flight hours very experienced pilot. A wider public he was known after January 15, 2009 U.S. Airways Flight 1549 safely on the Hudson notwasserte, in the very area of the busy New York Harbor. All passengers survived the emergency landing, only some of which contributed minor injuries. This was the first water landing with an Airbus A320 and worldwide. Due to the successful rescue of the passengers, Sullenberger received in the media attribute " Hero of the Hudson ". The ditching is considered aeronautical feat, because Sullenberger and his crew - among them the co-pilot Jeffrey Skiles - to meet in less time, several decisions and to master a highly unusual landing had, both actions outside the normal and possible pilot training. Sullenberger succeeded only the third water landing of a jet without casualties. He behaved in an exemplary manner even after ditching; its cabin crew evacuated all passengers within a few minutes. Sullenberger himself went twice through the sinking aircraft to make absolutely sure that no man was on board and he could leave the plane last.
The Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg drew from Sullenberger for his merit with the Golden Key to the city ( "Freedom of the City" ), comparable with a honorary citizenship recognition. The then U.S. President George W. Bush and his successor Barack Obama thanked by telephone for flight performance. Sullenberger was invited as guest of honor at Obama took office on 20 January 2009 to Washington.
Eight months after the accident, on October 1, Sullenberger took for the first time in the cockpit of an A320 course. He started again in LaGuardia (New York), was sitting by his side, as on January 15, the First Officer Jeffrey Skiles, and his air traffic controller at LaGuardia Airport was also back Patrick Harten. Together they wanted to lead the then begun flight to a good end, so Sullenberger. On 13 October 2009 he published his book Highest Duty. My Search for What Really Matters ( Germany: November 9th under the title You have to be a hero on what values is important in life. ), In which he describes his experiences from the Hudson River. On 3 March 2010 Sullenberger retired. On its last flight, some passengers of the Hudson ditching participated.
Sullenberger is married and has two daughters. His ancestors were in 1737 emigrated from Wynigen in the Canton of Bern ( Switzerland ) in the (now ) United States. The band dedicated College Sullenberger their song ' A Real Hero', part of the soundtrack to the film 'Drive '.