Miracle on the Hudson River

[BobP]

I can't believe it, it is a miracle
Mariners once again come to the resue of those in trouble on the sea, a timeless tradition.
The mightly Intrepid was watching out for them, I'm sure she had something to so with it.

Every passenger incl. one infant, 155 of them and crew saved.
US Airways Flight 1549. Google it.

What a day!

 

[Capt Bill]

A very competent and cool-head captain, and crew. He made the decision to make a water-landing as opposed to tryinjg to s-t-r-e-t-c-h the flight to Teterboro, which would have placed the plane over a densly populated area.

Airline pilots are trained in how to correctly make a water-landing, aka "ditch". If done correctly, e.g. wingls level, nose-up attitude, it can almost be expected to go well; I think statistcally 80% an success rate. Still, I am glad to have not been on that plane. My daughter and son-in-law very well could have been. They also departed on that same airline this morning, headed for California.

I am so glad all aboard that plane lived to tell their story, and my hat is off to that pilot, a former Jet fighter pilot trained at the USAF Academy.

 

[BobP]

The witnesses who saw him land reported he landed it like a bird on the water. Planes hitting water at that speed are like hitting concrete, it would have tumbled into pieces if he didn't get it perfect.

And he had no power at all, lost both engines.

If you know the area between LGA and the River, I happen to believe there's a higher force at work too, not just his skills.

And the NY Waterway water taxis were first on the scene, passengers lined up on both wings. The plane stayed level and didn't sink during the evacuation.

Still can't believe it.

 

[ocnslr]

It never did sink.

Mayor Bloomberg stated that it was tied to a pier at the Battery and would be lifted out for the accident investigation.

An amazing job by the pilot and crew, and to a lot of passengers as well.

Of course the mariners came to assist. Tradition.

 

[jmphoto]

I watched the news feed on my final to jfk from Austin tonight good news feels great these days you gotta remember good shit happens too

 

[Average Joe]

Great job by the pilot, Great job by the rescuers and I'm glad everyone made it out safely but PETA is not going to be happy about the Geese. :wink:

 

[Curmudgeon]

Airline pilots are trained in how to correctly make a water-landing, aka "ditch".

I was associated with US Airways for 13 years, both as a pilot and flight crew training instructior. While there is a section in the aircraft flight manual that deals with generic recommendatioins for making water landings, 'training' encompassed watching a couple of video tapes during aircraft initial and recurrent training classes. At no time was simulator time devoted to ditching'. Flight Attendents, on the other hand, do practice crowd control after water landings - and this cabin crew obviously paid attention during their last sessions. Oh, and most 'ditching' incidents do not end well ... :?

 

[Tommyboy]

Miracle on the Hudson

I'm with BobP ... taking nothing away from the pilot/crew (they did an outstanding job) ... a higher power had to be with those folks ... not ONE person badly injured? let alone dead ! It's unbelievable .... think of all of the things that COULD have happened ... They were only @ 900+ft when they passed over the GWB ... to set that plane down in the water and not have it break apart AT ALL ... with NO POWER ! ... holy crap ... Everyone on board stayed relatively calm and actually HELPED one another .. It's refreshing to see what could have been such a tragedy turn out so good ..... God bless them



77 Days !

 

[Tashmoo]

Did anyone else pick up on the skill level of the ferry boat captains? Keeping multiple ferries up to the plane in the current while the plane was drifting at certainly a different speed than the ferries and not getting tangled up with each other or hitting the plan and knocking the passengers off the wings!!! Unreal--- absolute professionals!

The Police & Fire Department, ferry Captains and Crews, New York has something to be extremely proud of.

 

[hotajax]

Raise Your Glass for the Pilot and the Boat Captains

Amazing job by the skipper of the plane. Amazing job by the boat captains. Way to go, men.

The most amazing part - it was all done without the oversight of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.

 

[gradyfish22]

Awesome job...it truely was a miracle. I know a few guys who run those ferries and know the training they go through to prepare for emergncies, but even with all that it takes a skilled captain to use his instinct and wit to act instantly to go and assist. Luckily this accident happened right near a ferry terminal where many boats could be dispatched, but regardless the cptains did a great job of staying with the plane, never getting too close or too far away making the passage of passengers/victims safe and easy. God bless!!!!

 

[GT]

Those ferry captains had to get to the plane without kicking up too much of a wake. Excess wake would have rocked the plane, would have swamped the people standing on the wings. These guys are good at what they do! amazing job by everyone involved.
The pilot, imho should be given double pension for life, tax free.