Hudson River Landing Animations

[Zmanco]

The first one left me speechless.

 

 

[strotter]

Studying hard - demanding.

Practicing endlessly - exhausting.

Perfect when it counts - priceless.

[turboHLS30]

That's crazy

[thrustnut]

Rolling Parts could have done it better- Just ask him

[Guest Rolling Parts]

No, I salute a fellow Texan pilot (who also took the time to study in gliders and really learn what flying is). Hat's off to doing everything not just by the book, but beyond. The word is "professional".

[evil_datto]

Actually... Your definition of professional is more along the lines of 'following & exceeding expectations beyond logical & reasonable boundaries'.

[Guest Rolling Parts]

Actually... Your definition of professional is more along the lines of 'following & exceeding expectations beyond logical & reasonable boundaries'.

 

Of course, a professional studies way beyond what is simply expected.

One of my best instructors flies Mig 21's and yet he took the time to teach me emergency steep spirals in my prop plane. And when a valve dropped into #3 one night it was easier for me to dead stick into a field without any damage whatsoever.

 

You never stop learning if you want to exceed.

[thrustnut]

Once again, I stand corrected. You never would have taken off in the first place with all those pesky birds in the area. It's a wonder you ever fly at all with all the inharrent dangers.

[Globerunner513]

I HIGHLY recommend the book "Highest Duty" by Capt. Sully. Fantastic read and really explains both everything that transpired in the air, as well as his life in aviation.

 

And for the record, Sully did some things up there that were actually against the book... (like taking flight controls from the FO who was PIC at the time).

[thrustnut]

Well then he should be grounded! We all know it's not safe to be unsafe! You can't just brake the rules, the FAA should hang him. Or maybe I don't understand the subtleties of aviation, I am a car guy after all. But wait... I think I remember pulling all the cylinders of a Piper Seminal for a AD last night... must be my imagination...

 

Just to make myself clear, Sully IS a hero, no matter what rules he broke. Along with the passengers of the Christmas flight who took out that terrorist. Good stuff, and I hope that I would respond the same way in that situation.

[Guest Rolling Parts]

How is Sully being in the left seat and assuming command of the flight controls "against the book"?

[260DET]

Interesting dialogue, pilot sounded the coolest man there, lets put this bitch down in the river so we can have another go

[Zmanco]

Interesting dialogue, pilot sounded the coolest man there, lets put this bitch down in the river so we can have another go

I agree, they were 100% focused on solving the problem. Notice how while they were descending over the river and the ATC was suggesting runways at other airports that they were coming back with single word replies. I got a shiver as it became obvious via their replies that they were not going to be able to land on land.

 

Like thrustnut said, if I were ever in a clutch situation, I hope I'd be able to react that calmly. Of course, I'm sure their training for loss of power helped, but in fairness, I doubt the simulations had them ditching in a river.

[Guest Rolling Parts]

Like thrustnut said, if I were ever in a clutch situation, I hope I'd be able to react that calmly. Of course, I'm sure their training for loss of power helped, but in fairness, I doubt the simulations had them ditching in a river.

 

Well put. He was experienced enough to know that panic is the enemy of rational thinking. I guarantee that nothing is harder than to loose all power and then having to make that rational decision to push the yoke forward and the earth bigger and keep the speed up.

[BRAAP]

Phlubmeister is a professional.

[rags]

First, I get to see a plane try to fly through tower 2. Then a few years later I see people standing on the wings of a plane parked in the river from the bus window as I head home after coming out of the Lincoln tunnel. Never a dull moment working in NYC!

 

Joe

[Globerunner513]

How is Sully being in the left seat and assuming command of the flight controls "against the book"?

 

USair's SOP is that in an emergency the FO flies the plane and the Capt runs through the checklists.

 

Sully CORRECTLY Improvised and used good judgment of the situation and his resources. (sound familiar?)

 

Sully had something around 8000 hours in type, while Jeff Skiles had just finished classes and was on his first trip in type. What was the one thing he had been doing for the past month or two? Checklists. Procedures. Emergencies, etc. Who would you want looking through a QRH with no tabs?

 

A good pilot takes ALL information, resources, as well as training into account before making a decision. Sometimes this decision contradicts training, and even procedures.

[Globerunner513]

I agree, they were 100% focused on solving the problem. Notice how while they were descending over the river and the ATC was suggesting runways at other airports that they were coming back with single word replies. I got a shiver as it became obvious via their replies that they were not going to be able to land on land.

 

Like thrustnut said, if I were ever in a clutch situation, I hope I'd be able to react that calmly. Of course, I'm sure their training for loss of power helped, but in fairness, I doubt the simulations had them ditching in a river.

 

 

Its a pretty interesting point actually. In classes I've had to listen to my fair share of accident and incident recordings. Both cockpit and radio. Its almost uncanny how much more calm the pilots usually are than ATC. And the controllers are the ones who are actually trying to be calm. Hell, can't blame em though.

 

I think it has a lot to do with pilot's general ability to compartmentalize exceptionally well. I think its one of the personality traits that makes pilots so alike to one another. I can't say that I've ever experienced an emergency, and I pray I never get to. Have gotten to experience some pretty interesting situations though. Nothing like learning from (safe) experience! Even at my relatively amateur level of training, you notice those moments when you wonder how you ever stayed focused.

 

Oh also the single word replies were actually the best way to convey what he was doing. For example, the word "unable" is pilot speak for...'hit me again, cause that ain't happening'. It's a pretty universal phrase used when you know you are not going to be able to comply with their instructions. It would be immediately clear to both pilots and ATC. Just things like that save precious seconds when good communication is so vital. Professionalism at its finest from all parties involved.

[Globerunner513]

lol accidental post.

[Guest Rolling Parts]

USair's SOP is that in an emergency the FO flies the plane and the Capt runs through the checklists.

 

 

You might read 91.3( about who's in command in an emergency.

The Federal air regulations are "the book" when it comes to flying.

PIC is a very specific term and the FO is PIC in an emergency.

When the emergency situation occurred, that made Sully the PIC.

 

As far as "holding" the flight controls, the US Air "policy" was that the FO to manage the FCU (but in this case the autopilot was obviously not appropriate). CRM dictated that PIC who was hand flying the aircraft keep doing so. Obviously US Airline policies don't cover all possible situations and may now be amended...