US Airways A320 Down in NYC Hudson River

[Matt Molnar]

The captain, C. B. "Sully" Sullenberger, has been flying for at US for 29 years and has acted as a Check Airman, an ALPA safety chairman and an accident investigator. He's also a USAF Academy grad, flew F-4s for over six years and was on a USAF aircraft accident investigation board. If you're going to be on a plane with dead engines, I'd say you can't get a pilot with more relevant experience than this guy.

Here's his LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/5/209/118

[moose135]

There are other examples

"Yukla 27" was a USAF E-3 AWACS aircraft (707 type) which crashed on takeoff from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska in 1995. It flew through a flock of geese while taking off, causing the number 1 and 2 engines to loose power. The crew was unable to control the aircraft and it crashed shortly after liftoff, killing all 24 on board.

The captain, C. B. "Sully" Sullenberger, has been flying for at US for 29 years and has acted as a Check Airman, an ALPA safety chairman and an accident investigator. He's also a USAF Academy grad, flew F-4s for over six years and was on a USAF aircraft accident investigation board. If you're going to be on a plane with dead engines, I'd say you can't get a pilot with more relevant experience than this guy.

Here's his LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/5/209/118

Is it any surprise he is an Air Force guy?

[mirrodie]

You guys are right. I think I misinterpreted what ongoing reporters were saying.'

What I interpreted from what I heard was that the plane hit birds on takeoff.

So in looking at the flightpath maps, I was sitting there thinking, how could this guy continue north and then turn southwest with 2 engines off?!

So does it seem more plausible the strike took place later after takeoff?

[Derf]

They did, but I do not have any accurate info....sorry

[mirrodie]

just saw passur. Looks like she was losing altotude right over Bronx Park and then started the turn.

Wonder how scary it was also, seems on passur that when she was at 800 ft, there was another plane coming, head-on, N461SA at 500 ft, who turned east at the last moment.

Amazing day. my first thought was My gosh, not another AIr Florida on the Potomac. So glad it was the opposite!

[Matt Molnar]

So does it seem more plausible the strike took place later after takeoff?

It's possible. A couple weeks ago I was walking in Midtown and spotted a flock of geese flying well above a plane on approach to Newark, easily above 2000 feet. I was amazed that geese could fly that high.

I just googled it and found out Canada geese often fly as high as 9,000 feet, and some geese species fly over 20,000 feet!!!

[Derf]

an African vulture, struck by an airliner at 37,000 feet.

[moose135]

You guys are right. I think I misinterpreted what ongoing reporters were saying.'

What I interpreted from what I heard was that the plane hit birds on takeoff.

So in looking at the flightpath maps, I was sitting there thinking, how could this guy continue north and then turn southwest with 2 engines off?!

So does it seem more plausible the strike took place later after takeoff?

They may have hit the birds shortly after takeoff, but that doesn't mean that both engines lost complete power immediately. They may have lost one engine, and may have had a more progressive power loss in the other, depending on the amount of damage - it could cause compressor stalls, engine surges or other problems. They may have never lost power completely on the second engine, but it may have been damaged enough they were unable to continue flying with one engine out and one at partial power. Fortunately, it should be fairly easy to retrieve the black box data and see what happened.

[T-Bird76]

Alex messaged me about this and of course you think of the worst. Its truly a fantastic everyone made it off, when you think about it that really is amazing considering all the factors involed. Cheers to the flightdeck crew and their outstanding airmanship.

[mmedford]

So any word if the birds were injected directly after takeoff, or a short while after...?

If it was after takeoff, Port Authority might be in some deep water...

[Gerard]

> Fortunately, it should be fairly easy to retrieve the black box data and see what happened.[/quote]<

This was one of my favorite questions at Bloombergs news conference when a reporter asked if this black box is still
intact. Mayor Mike had a look like "You idiot the whole plane is intact" but answered it nicer than that.
The pictures of the passengers standing on the wings but looking like they were standing on water was AMAZING.
And big-time kudos to the ferrys of NY Waterways and Circle Line who today were the first responders, on scene SECONDS
after the plane "Landed" in the river.
What a great outcome to what could have been a huge disaster.

[nikon50bigma]

Amazing that everything turned out for the best given the situation. No one was really hurt and great job from the flight crew. I'm only in SI and not too far away; does anyone know for sure where they will 'dock' her for the night? I heard near battery park but I just wanted to make sure. Was thinking about heading over there tomorrow morning just to check it out before school.

[Gerard]

> I'm only in SI and not too far away; does anyone know for sure where they will 'dock' her for the night? I heard near battery park but I just wanted to make sure. Was thinking about heading over there tomorrow morning just to check it out before school.[/quote]

Right now a shot from Skyfox showed it down by Battery Park. How long it stays there is anyones guess but probably for awhile.
Some eyewitnesses interviewed thought the plane was another terrorist attack and it was going to head into a building. And ironic
that it is now docked right across from Ground Zero.

[nikon50bigma]

I wonder if it will still be by there tomorrow afternoon. Do you think anyone would give me a problem if I wanted to see it and take photos of it be the dock or seawall? Ya know the whole illegal spheal?

[Matt Molnar]

I wonder if it will still be by there tomorrow afternoon. Do you think anyone would give me a problem if I wanted to see it and take photos of it be the dock or seawall? Ya know the whole illegal spheal?

Pretty sure no one will give you a problem about photos, but if it is still there, I think there will be a wide perimeter to keep anyone away from it. But who knows, give it a shot.