Recommend if you want Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger to be Air Force 1 pilot.

and that's saying a lot.

I don't know if the President would be willing to downgrade to an A320 or a 737. He has one well set up resume doesn't he?

then quibble about specific aircraft...

I think the Pilot himself, being a Safety Officer, would not advise anyone to fly a plane they have not had training on. So with all due respect, him not having a rating for the 747 is not quibbling.

But thank you for asking.

I read it in some school book in college years ago that pilots are one of the few jobs where age discrimination like that is legal, because as you get older your eye sight tends to get worse, and your reaction time tends to get slower. In most jobs that doesn't really matter a whole lot, but when you're flying a plane it can become very dangerous. The elderly actually get into more car accidents then teenagers and young drivers because of that, but you hear about it less since there's a lot more young drivers then older ones.

Department of transportation figures for 2006:

People aged 16-24 had a total of 54,982 accidents

People aged 65+ had a total of 16,194 accidents

The rates for fatalities per 100 persons in each age group doesn't start to even out till a driver reaches their 80th birthday when compared to 16 and 17 year-olds.

http://books.google.com/books?id=ckLcxEb5tM8C&pg=PA72&lpg=PA72&dq=accidents+by+age+per+100&source=web&ots=fEn4EUyI1-&sig=bSRGXVY_r7uE-int7971N7SA1Vg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=10&ct=result


The idea that older drivers are more dangerous than young people and teens always fails in the face of hard, credible data. This is most likely because of the combined experience and caution of older drivers who generally know they are sensory impaired and behave accordingly to compensate - whereas teenagers know everything and young drivers are much more likely to engage in risky behaviors while they are driving.

...impressive resume as it may be (A/A-320 A/AVR-146 A/B-737 A/BAE-146 A/DC-9 A/LR-JET) he would need to get the TR to fly a 74.

I don't think that someone would want to fly a plane that they aren't qualified to fly and I kind of doubt that anyone would hire somebody to fly a plane that they aren't qualified to fly.

I have an MD but I'm not trained for heart surgery, would you be asking me to perform your bypass?

It's not like they can just paint "United States of America" on the side of a 737 and declare it Air Force One. There are a LOT of things, like communications gear, they'd have to put in one to make it suitable for presidential transport.

If I was president, I would have the communications gear et al put in the cargo plane they use to haul around all the motorcade vehicles, which would allow me to go somewhere with one plane instead of two.

the Air force one pilot

I cannot think of anybody better to safekeep our President.

flame away but I feel the public is as deserving of his talents as much as Obama. now I realize the importance of the fact that he will most likely never have to ditch in a river again. nor hit a flock of birds.and Karma and luck will follow this man, for the rest of his life. but AF-1??? that airplane is inspected and tuned far more than any regular passenger plane... Obama will be fine.

"Sully" Belongs to all of us.


on edit... frankly just think the guy Hoping you from Omaha to El-Paso is "Sully" it may not be, but the thought that it is? will get my aunt Flying again.

Flame? no.

But I do disagree strongly, for the very reasons you argue against.

Sully is awesome though. No doubt about it.

Obviously, there's always a designated AF-1 pilot.

:kick:

but in the short term I think one of Barack's first acts as President should be to award him a Presidential Medal of Valor (if that's what it's called?).

but Sully also was able to remain calm and determined. He has some special qualities for sure, not every pilot would have reacted in such a way. His wife seemed overwhelmed on tv and happy he was okay, she has quite a husband.

Pilots train for thousands of hours in trainers for these sorts of scenarios. It was instinct for him to land it on the water. Granted, it would be more difficult without power.

AND NO FATALITIES, you can tell me it's no big deal.






Have you?

What kept the plane intact was mainly the engineering involved. It isn't rocket science to figure out that the best way to land is touch the tail section first and use it to slow down the fuselage, that way the nose doesn't dip under the water, causing catastrophic breakup. Get back to me when you understand the ins and outs of aeronauticl engineering.

A little more respect for the man is in order, don't you think?

You're pretty arrogant for somebody who hasn't been in that position.

Planes are quite fragile.

training and professionalism. It must be you are accustomed to frauds like Joe the plumber. well snap out of it. please.

along with "sully" are the ferry drivers that went towards the plane. plucked people to safety from the frigged cold water. They are also professionals who are well trained. They are just as much Hero as Sully or the next American.

My, my, you reach low quickly, don't you?

Why not just go all the way, and compare me to Hitler.

That would end the discussion.

Frankly, I'm not impressed with your debating skills.

A comparison to Hitler would be unwarranted as you are not a dictator of Germany. I do not mean to be demeaning at all. I think is honorable that you would feel Obama may have the need of Sullys professionalism. Alas he does not. Sully is indeed a grand pilot. who professionally ditched with no loss of life. Do not for get that Sully was saving his own ass too. 154 others were along for the ride.

as well as those who plucked the passengers from the river. and that they were there before the airplane drifted out to sea.

The Idea that the Pilot (even if it isn't) of the next airplane trip I take is Capt Sully. will help me (and I am sure many others) relax and enjoy the ride.

...past the homeland security ghouls? Or maybe an ant farm?

:hide:

What he did WAS a big deal. But there's really no need to exaggerate.

I just saw a story of this on 20/20 earlier tonight.

They mentioned several landings on water in the last 20 years in which the plane split into 2 or 3 pieces and at least 50 people inside it got killed. The impact of a plane hitting something hard like a giant iceberg is much worse then it is when a ship like the titanic hits it.

I suppose they could have.

To be a hero, you have to have the good luck to have the bad luck to have something potentially disastrous happen to you!

However, he isn't rated for the 747, has been out of military flying for a while, and is nearing retirement. I am sure that the Air Force has an extraordinarily rigorous internal recruitment and training program for its AF1 pilots; I trust that they have the most competent possible people at the yoke, Mr. Sullenberger's heroics notwithstanding.

"Miracle on the Hudson happened thanks to the skill and dedication of union workers"

"Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger, III, the pilot credited with landing US Airways flight 1549 gently on the Hudson River is a veteran of 40 years. The “miracle on the Hudson” is really a result of professional pilots organizing to ensure that they get the best support and training at the highest standards in the industry. Captain Sullenberger is a former safety chairman, accident investigator and national committee member for the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA). His ALPA safety work led to the development of a Federal Aviation (FAA) Advisory Circular.

The next time you see the scurrilous advertising by the opponents of the Employee Free Choice Act, remember they are insulting union members like Captain Sullenberger. From the pilots, to the flight attendants, to the air traffic controllers, to the members of the FDNY, the “miracle on the Hudson” happened thanks to the skill and dedication of union workers."

http://www.examiner.com/x-2071-DC-Special-Interests-Examiner~y2009m1d15-Miracle-on-the-Hudson-happened-thanks-to-the-skill-and-dedication-of-union-workers?cid=examiner-email

But recommend he be on the list as an aviation safety consultant!

that it was nothing special..to them I say..OK Then...personally, I have been in planes that landed on solid ground, and didn't go as smoothly as his landing on water went....from the video I've seen of it...I think he's to be commended...even IF it's to be expected of him....is there any doubt that some, in spite of training, couldn't have done the same thing?? and NOT LOST A SOUL...in the process....sure the ferry and boat workers reacted quickly, and that was also good...in fact, everyone involved deserves kudos...but that Pilot, first and foremost deserves accolades.....My hat is off to him...wb

Wanted to ask the pilot if we landed or were we shot down?

out of flying speed at the same time it touched the water.
Just sayin' from a part time pilot.

hundreds of hours steering the 747 on MS
Flight Stimulator at my desk in my pajamas
from my house.:eyes:

9/11 changed everything.

but I applaud Sully's skill and heroic actions.

Obama called him yesterday. :D

the president's gig - he is going to be rolling in the dough. Very well deserved too if I might add.

I'm going to assume anyone in charge of that thing has far, far more training than any commercial pilot is likely to see or even want to see.