Flickr’s apparently loaded with photos of the crash already.
Can we use some of the bailout money to good purpose and give this pilot a huge honking bonus?
And kudoes to all the boats who rescued the passengers…they were on scene almost immediately.
Win win all around, guys.
You got to admire how well the “US Airways” logo stands out. You can’t buy this sort of advertising.
- Mandatory RO post about ‘those darn unions’ * :rolleyes:
I think Reagan should fire them. The birds. All of 'em. Yeaaaaah.
I think it would also be what’s called “a hazard to navigation”. The Hudson’s regular ferries and water taxis were among the rescuers; it would be poor thanks to leave a big plane cluttering their workspace.
Wonderful fast action, and correct action, by all involved, but especially the pilot.
Isn’t there a straightdope column about water landings by jets?
Hurray for Sully!!!
From ABC
Walked the plane twice to make sure everyone got out… bad ass.
Regarding the cases of plane crashes were all people survived, one has to note that it is more difficult for all to survive when the crash is on water than on land. Is this the first time when all the passengers and crew survived when a big commercial jet plane crash landed on water?
I do remember that in the case of the African plane that got hijacked a few years ago, it broke apart when it crash landed at sea and many people died even though the ocean was calm.
I think the US Airways pilot deserves a medal.
Yeah, Tyler was wrong.
Yeah man, that dude is hard fucking core.
Perhaps Obama will create a “Presidential Medal of Bad Assery” or “Presidential Metal of Fuckin’ Coolness.” The “Presidential Medal of Freedom” doesn’t really fit (and has been tainted by some of the awardees in recent years) and the pilot really does deserve a lot for what he did.
Missed the edit window…
Some of the other passengers were saying by the time they got out they were walking up out of waste deep water. So this guy walked a sinking plane twice in waste deep water to check for people. Extra BAD ASS.
So did anyone actually USE the seat cushions?
That guy better not buy his own drinks for like a year.
Sadly, the Goose did not survive
That pilot drinks free for life.
Any chance there’s any footage of the landing anywhere?
Yes. At least one guy I heard interviewed said he picked up the seat cushion when he headed for the exit door. Other people grabbed the jackets.
This is the first time I’ve heard of a commercial airliner ditching in the water with no fatalities. From past incidents, or at least this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESJx5bJIP5o
it seems really difficult to come in fully level and not catch a wing, cartwheel, disintegrate.
Excellent piloting here.
From what I’ve heard, the Hudson isn’t a model of cleanliness, so could that explain the “waste”-deep water? Otherwise, it was deep enough to be up to his waist.
I just didn’t want to waste this comment. 
There have been a couple water landings in which all the passengers survived:
From Wikipedia’s article on water landings, which amazingly, has already been updated with today’s US Airways ditching!
Several others have had passenger survival rates better than 50%.
Touché