Transcript of pilot, air traffic control
Imagine being this good at anything
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/02/05/1549.voice.recorder.tape/
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I thought it was great to see the whole flight crew honored at the Super Bowl.
Boy oh boy. Talk about keeping your head. What a great job!
I felt sorry for the controler when the pilot announced that he was going into the Hudson. HUH?
As an airline pilot in a past life, my experience is that most professional pilots are exactly that cool and collected under those types of circumstances.
One of our crews had a double engine failure while in the weather over the CA Central Valley. They managed to circle down through the clouds to VFR conditions and land at a small airport deadstick. I personally find that even more impressive than the US Air landing.
Haim
One of our crews had a double engine failure while in the weather over the CA Central Valley. They managed to circle down through the clouds to VFR conditions and land at a small airport deadstick. I personally find that even more impressive than the US Air landing.
Definitely impressive. What type of aircraft and how many onboard?
“Definitely impressive. What type of aircraft and how many onboard?”
It was A SA227 Metroliner (American Eagle) - 19 pax +2 crew, which is part of the reason it didn’t get the same kind of press as an A320 splashing down in the Hudson for all the world to see 
Haim
I am having a running argument with a coworker who insists that Sully is a hero, needs a medal from the President, etc. I believe that he and his crew are competent professionals, doing exactly what they were trained to do. We can be proud of them, but is absurd to call them heroes, IMHO.
I agree with you, and I will bet that the USAir crew does as well.
Haim
Its worth listening to instead of reading. (I listened to it on MSNBC.com but I’m sure its everywhere).
It is remarkable how calm everyone was, the pilot, the other pilots and mostly the controller. In listening to it, I was most impressed by the controller. The controller never seemed to miss a beat dealing with the other traffic while in the space of about 90 seconds giving the US Air flight about 6 different runways to land at at 3 different airports. I imagine that was tough to pull off in that airspace. Also, he went right on talking to other planes during the whole thing. Obviously it would be real disaster if the controller lost his focus ignored the other planes in the air and he did not.
Define “hero.”
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I am having a running argument with a coworker who insists that Sully is a hero, needs a medal from the President, etc. I believe that he and his crew are competent professionals, doing exactly what they were trained to do. We can be proud of them, but is absurd to call them heroes, IMHO.
That’s because you weren’t on the plane. 
I bet if you were on that plane or a kin to the passengers your viewpoint would be quite different.
Why ? I expect the pilot and crew of every flight I am on to be able to execute emergency procedures calmly and under duress. My point is that Sully and his crew are only more visible than others, not “heroes” in any sense of the word.
I work in health care, where we have learned a lot from our aviation colleagues. I have been in many difficult situations myself, and always relied on my training to do the very best for my patients. Does that make me a “hero” ?
not “heroes” in any sense of the word.
Definition please.
A hero to me is somebody who does something out of the ordinary, something that they may not be trained to do, that ultimately saves others lives. Folks who sheltered Jews in the Holocaust, jump on grenades in wartime, or otherwise go to extraordinary lengths performing selfless acts are heroes. A well trained pilot and crew executing a stressful, difficult procedure are exceptional, but IMHO not heroes. They are professionals.
Thanks. I think you are using an uncommon definition of “hero.” I would liken your definition to the standard for the Congressional Medal of Honor. I think folks tend to use a less demanding definition of “hero.”
For whatever it is worth, I heard a self-styled expert on water landings opine that this particular landing should have resulted in a catastrophe. There is no practice for this type of landing, simulated or otherwise.
Thanks. I think you are using an uncommon definition of “hero.”
I disagree. As I was reading this thread and saw you ask....mentally I had about the same definition of "hero" as he gave.
That is what comes from training and expirence…This whole deal reminded me of one of my best friends, a paramedic/lifeguard on Catalina Island…They use his 5 minute exchange in training now, as an example of being cool under pressure…He was doing CPR on a 1 year old baby, had been following all the doctors directions over the radio as they were transporting, and a few minutes into it, there was a brief pause in answering the doctor… He excused himself for a second, and continued on with the instructions…His words were, “You’ll have to excuse me sir, but the baby I’m working on is my own kid.” He hardly missed a beat, and did exactly what his training told him to do…And baby survived, should be about 9 years old now…
Based on your criteria then none of the FDNY or NYPD should be called hero’s for 911 then right?
I think you can train somebody all ya want. This doesn’t mean they execute under pressure. Sure the simulator’s may callfor an emergency water landing, everything is a whole new ball game when there is no reset button.