Life Is Good

They are calling it the "Miracle On the Hudson". That to me is an understatement but I'm at a loss for words to give it a more apt name for such a superb outcome under the circumstances. Yesterday in NYC US Airways Flight 1549 had a double bird strike shortly after take-off. According to news reports the pilot wanted to turn around and return to Laguadia, considered landing at Teterboro in NJ but was rapidly losing power. The plane was an Airbus A-320, a fairly good size plane that carries a lot of weight.

A double bird strike meant that birds were sucked into both engines which quickly shut them down. Once any airplane loses power it begins dropping like a lead balloon. There isn't much time to consider many alternatives to get that aircraft safely back on the ground. The birds are suspected being Canadian geese that are a regular problem up there. One of the experts interviewed on television said one goose hitting an engine is the equivalent of dropping a 1,000# iron ball from a height of 10 feet. It has that much force. Imagine what a half of ton of metal would do to a car roof falling from 10 feet above. It ain't pretty.

Rapidly losing any chance of bringing that plane down safely the Captain decided on a water landing in the Hudson River. With the time he had it was the only choice he had left. Eyewitnesses on the ground said they have never seen anything done more smoothly and with such precision than what that pilot did yesterday. Although they say you can't practice that, even in a simulator, he brought that big bird down on the surface of the water like he'd been practicing that for years.

The captain's name is Chesley Sullenbeger, Sully to his friends. He has 28 years with the airlines and they said over 40 years of flying experience. Earlier in his life he was a fighter pilot. Although he is only 58 years old he has a lot of hours in the cockpit. To 155 people on board that flight that experience proved life saving yesterday. Except for one infant everyone else was able to quickly walk off that airplane. The infant was carried by his parents. Other than a few bruises and a little exposure to the elements every soul on board lives to talk about it. Some even flew out to their destinations later yesterday evening. Amazing.

Sully's mind must have been working at computer speed. His skill and decision making not only saved those 155 people but he averted losing the lives of countless others on the ground had he tried any other way to bring it down. They say any landing you can walk away from is a good landing. Make that a good landing times 155 plus.

Yesterdays accident was the first time that I can think of that not one single life was lost. There have been some but not in a commercial jetliner that I can think of. Even crashes that people survived it is extremely rare they got out of it without serious injuries.

Sully, I'm putting you right up there with John Wayne on my hero's list. Maybe someday our paths will cross & I can shake your hand. It would be an honor. There were a lot of guardian angels at work yesterday but under the most stressful conditions you pulled through like a champ.

A simple thank you seems inadequate but thanks just the same. As the Irish would say "May God hold you in the hollow of his hand".

Life is good...

ole nib