An American Hero: 01/15/09

An American Hero: Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III, 57, of Danville, CA... So the headlines go. I am sure you are all aware of who this man is and what he did today (01/15/09). I am sure that if we were all together in a room, he and the danger he averted would be the topic of discussion.

Charles Simmons flew the same route as this pilot hundreds of times as a USAirways captain/pilot and gives us a fascinating virtual report of what the events must have been like (below). Perhaps other former pilots or flight support staff will give us their personal insights on the topic. And, of course, everyone is invited to respond to these comments or give us your thoughts on the topic.

 

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms". Deuteronomy 33:27

 

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Comments

[John Echoff]

What a professional! Cool, calm, and calculating (at least on the outside), that's what all the training is about. Fantastic job of ditching in the water, haven't seen likes of that since WWII movies, when it was commmonplace. Those passengers were blessed to have such a crew, let us not forget the 1st officer and attendants, they did their jobs also.

[Karla Lofgren Davis]

It occurs to me - from reading John's comment and as the morning news accounts are full of this story - that the flight's support staff did an incredible job too. I know we have at least one former "stewardess" in our midst. Glenda - what are you thinking as you hear these accounts? Others?

And underneath are the Everlasting Arms. To Him be the Glory and the Praise!!! Karla

FOD - FOREIGN OBJECT DEBRIS
When our son Jonathan first went to work on airplanes at what is now L-3 Communications, Airborne, he talked a lot about FOD. His work involves retro-fitting exisiting airplanes for specific military, commercial and private purposes. As an engineer, he (and his co-workers) must design these alterations to both work AND be safe. They must always be aware of eliminating the danger of malfunctions due to FOD. BUt paramount in HIS mind, as he toured the hangars to watch his work tested, was that HE not become FOD. Evidently that was a real danger in those circumstances. KD

[Charles Simmons]

Since I am a former USAirways captain, Karla asked me to add my perspective on the incident in New York yesterday, January 15, 2009 that ended up with a USAirways Airbus A320 landing in the Hudson River.

My first hint of trouble was when my wife, Hilda, called me while I was in the car and said a USAirways plane had gone into the river in New York. I thought another unfortunate incident had occurred where a plane skidded off the end of an icy runway into the water. Several hours later, I heard that the pilot had tried to make it to Teterboro but decided on the Hudson River instead - and then it all began to come together for me as to what happened.

More than likely, the crew departed runway 31 at Laguardia. Sitting on this runway, you are looking straight at the Empire State Building and midtown Manhattan - not a place you want to fly over. Procedure is to make an immediate right turn to 040 degrees (that's a ninety degree right turn)soon after lifting off. About here, the crew and passengers hear the ominous Pow!, Pow!, Boom!, of bird ingestions in the engines. The crew may have seen them - maybe not. At any rate, the engines start failing. The plane had enough momentum to get up to a little over three thousand feet. Now they're over the northern borough of New York City, The Bronx, beginning a left hand turn back to the southwest. They're telling departure control they have a problem. The throttles are all the way forward, yet the airspeed is decaying. In order to maintain control, the captain has to lower the nose to keep his airspeed up (read - we're going down)! Departure control points out Teterboro, NJ airport at one o'clock, eight miles, but the captain knows he can't make it. Straight in - maybe - but he would have to make another ninety degree turn to land on the southern facing runway and downwind to boot. Not a good plan. Newark, NJ was another option, but again, too far away. Thoughts racing, losing altitude, heavily populated areas on either side of the river, the pilot made a decision - put it down on the river!

Once that decision was made, and, believe me, that was the hardest part of the flight, everything else was relatively easy. The Hudson at this point is straight and wide and unobstructed. It was a nice long runway and he did a superb job of keeping the wings level all the way to touchdown. That part was a miracle since the plane continued to float.

After touchdown, instinctive training takes over. The First Officer's job is to leave the cockpit and assist with the evacuation. The Captain's job is to stay on board assisting in the evacuation until everyone if off -and that's what he did.

Perhaps Glenda Burns Minniece could jump in here and describe for us the flight attendant perspective. She has had extensive over-water and evacuation training.

After the incident, the captain's responsibility shifts to the well being of his crew. If able, he has to make sure they're sequestered away from the eager media, safe in a hotel and their needs provided for. The reason he has not appeared on camera is that he could say something detrimental to the investigation in his mental fog after an accident. The Airline Pilots Assn. will make sure he is well represented before going forward in the press.

I've tried to present this flight in my own eyes as if I had been flying it. The performance of this crew has made all airline pilots proud today. Proud to be part of such an elite group but also grateful - so grateful - that all lived to share the story.

I did not have the pleasure of knowing Capt. Sullenberger. USAirways was a large company and our paths never crossed. Perhaps you are having some of the same thoughts I'm having right about now. The younger guys are facing the giants we used to face. We are all in a very different stage of life. If I may bloviate - the Bible says the glory of the young man is his strength, but the glory of the old man is his white hair of wisdom. We can still be useful in passing down our accumulated wisdom to those below.

As we pilots always used to say, "Keep the blue side up!"

Your old, white haired, but still alive airline pilot:
Charles Simmons

[Bloviate?]

OK, I try not to comment too often, but this is too great!!!

First of all, I LOVE reading Charles Simmon's comment about the pilot, crew and circumstances surrounding the Hudson River landing. I asked him to write because I was sure he had firsthand knowledge that we would want to hear. I never dreamed it would be so vivid.

But...bloviate??? I consider myself to be an amateur wordsmith and take great pride in my wordsmithery. But that was a new word for me. And since I had never heard the word, and since no self-respecting wordsmith can ignore a new word - especially one that sounds so highfaluting as BLOVIATE, I had to look it up immediately. Couldn't find it in my dictionary. Now it may be because my college dictionary (kept in my school office for sentimental reasons) is out of date. Nor could I find it easily on the internet. Eventually, however, I did find that bloviate means ORATE VIVIDLY AND WINDILY (according to one source) and SPEAK IN A POMPOUS AND SELF-IMPORTANT MANNER, OFTEN AT GREAT LENGTH (according to another source).

I like that word!!! Charles, thank you for your wonderful description of the "Miracle on the Hudson", and thank you for introducing us to the word bloviate. I am sure it will find its way into all of our conversation from now on.

But Charles, what some may consider bloviation, I consider the wisdom and eloquence of a dear "old" friend! Karla

[Glenda Burns Minniece]

Charles! Thank you so much for your moment-by-moment account from the pilot's point of view and for insight as to what happens afterward, too. I found your comments fascinating and, yes, deliciously informative. In following the reports, I marveled at the expertise of the crew - pilots and flight attendants - in effecting this "miracle" on the Hudson. They certainly had the Lord's hand guiding them, but the Lord had a wealth of excellent material to work with! (I loved what Karla said about the Everlasting Arms, and Charles' reminder that the glory of the old man is his white hair and wisdom. Lovely!) Another thing to keep in mind is that the youngest flight attendant on this flight was 51. Wisdom galore. This was an extremely professional group of people.

It has been 23 years since I flew as a flight attendant - and I flew for 22 years. (My gosh, I must be old. Where is my wisdom??? I have plenty of white hair!) Anyway, I'll try to go back in time to recall all the trainings the FFA required us to go through twice a year, and believe me, this training was in our minds every take-off and landing. We were prepared for anything. Prior to takeoff, the USAirways flight attendants would have made sure that all carryon baggage was secured and that everyone's seat belt was low and tight. When they knew the plane was in trouble, they would immediatley begin yelling to the passengers to grab their ankles. This assumes the flight attendants kept their own seats. After impact, the flight attendants would open the doors and deploy the slides, directing people into them. The overwing exits were, as is standard procedure, opened by passengers. Part of the announcement nowadays includes offering passengers who do not wish to perform this function to move to another seat.

All passengers must be safely off the plane before flight attendants exit the plane, and they will carry off first aid kits. The captain, brave soul, being in charge of the craft, must shepherd his flock to safety.

I also commend the harbor rescuers who were there right away to assist with evacuation. If they hadn't been, the icy river would have caused more injuries if not deaths.

Now - about bloviate. What a wonderful word that you've introduced us to, Charles. Like Karla, I love words, but this is a new one to me. Isn't the English language a wonderful thing? The richest and most adaptable in the world. But, Charles, you are never a bloviator. You presented a very concise yet informative and colorful narrative which is much appreciated. Sorry I'm so long in posting this. Busy times.

[Charles Simmons]

Glenda,

I've been awaiting your "chiming in." Your insights are just what I expected from a professionally trained flight attendant. I used to watch you guys train and sat in on a few sessions. No fluff here. Going down those slides was no funny business. You're right about those 50+ year old flight attendants. Those are the ones you want on board when an emergency happens.

I thoroughly enjoyed your comments. Look forward to seeing you next year, Lord willing!

[Karla Lofgren Davis]

Charles Simmons sent these thoughts of a passenger on flight 1549 (Miracle on the Hudson).
Charles wrote:

This is a first-hand account from a passenger on Flight 1549. It is an internal memo to the members of his firm. It is very well written, is descriptive, and gives this man's honest reactions to the events around him. He described many of the things Glenda and I talked about but from a passenger’s point of view. I think it would be instructive not only for our class to read but for everyone.

Gerry McNamara (New York/Charlotte) was on US Airways Flight 1549 last week. Here is his account of the event:

Thursday was a difficult day for all of us at the firm and I left the Park Avenue office early afternoon to catch a cab bound for LaGuardia Airport.

I was scheduled for a 5pm departure, but able to secure a seat on the earlier flight scheduled to leave at 3pm. As many of us who fly frequently often do, I recall wondering if I'd just placed myself on a flight I shouldn't be on!

Just prior to boarding I finished up a conference call with my associate, Jenn Sparks (New York), and our placement, the CIO of United Airlines. When I told him that I was about to board a US Airways flight, we all had a little fun with it.

I remember walking on the plane and seeing a fellow with grey hair in the cockpit and thinking "that's a good thing... I like to see grey hair in the cockpit!"

I was seated in 8F, on the starboard side window and next to a young business man. The New York to Charlotte flight is one I've taken what seems like hundreds of times over the years. We take off north over the Bronx and as we climb, turn west over the Hudson River to New Jersey and tack south. I love to fly, always have, and this flight plan gives a great view of several NY landmarks including Yankee Stadium and the George Washington Bridge.

I had started to point out items of interest to the gentleman next to me when we heard a terrible crash - a sound no one ever wants to hear while flying - and then the engines wound down to a screeching halt.10 seconds later, there was a strong smell of jet fuel. I knew we would be landing and thought the pilot would take us down no doubt to Newark Airport. As we began to turn south I noticed the pilot lining up on the river - still - I thought - en route for Newark.

Next thing we heard was "Brace for impact!" - a phrase I had heard many years before as an active duty Marine Officer but never before on a commercial air flight. Everyone looked at each other in shock. It all happened so fast we were astonished!

We began to descend rapidly and it started to sink in. This is the last flight. I'm going to die today. This is it. I recited my favorite bible verse, the Lord's Prayer, and asked God to take care of my wife, children, family and friends.

When I raised my head I noticed people texting their friends and family....getting off a last message. My blackberry was turned off and in my trouser pocket...no time to get at it. Our descent continued and I prayed for courage to control my fear and help if able.

I quickly realized that one of two things was going to happen, neither of them good. We could hit by the nose, flip and break up, leaving few if any survivors, bodies, cold water, fuel. Or we could hit one of the wings and roll and flip with the same result. I tightened my seat belt as tight as I could possibly get it so I would remain intact.

As we came in for the landing, I looked out the windows and remember seeing the buildings in New Jersey, the cliffs in Weehawken , and then the piers. The water was dark green and sure to be freezing cold. The stewardesses were yelling in unison: "Brace! Brace! Brace!"

It was a violent hit - the water flew up over my window - but we bobbed up and were all amazed that we remained intact.

There was some panic - people jumping over seats and running towards the doors, but we soon got everyone straightened out and calmed down. There were a lot of people that took leadership roles in little ways. Those sitting at the doors over the wing did a fantastic job...they were opened in a New York second! Everyone worked together - teamed up and in groups to figure out how to help each other.

I exited on the starboard side of the plane, 3 or 4 rows behind my seat through a door over the wing and was, I believe, the 10th or 12th person out. I took my seat cushion as a flotation device and once outside saw I was the only one who did....none of us remembered to take the yellow inflatable life vests from under the seat.

We were standing in 6-8 inches of water and it was freezing. There were two women on the wing, one of whom slipped off into the water. Another passenger and I pulled her back on and had her kneel down to keep from falling off again. By that point we were totally soaked and absolutely frozen from the icy wind.

The ferries were the first to arrive, and although they're not made for rescue, they did an incredible job. I know this river, having swum in it as a boy. The Hudson is an estuary - part salt and part fresh water - and moves with the tide. I could tell the tide was moving out because we were tacking slowly south towards Ellis Island, The Statue of Liberty, and The Battery.

The first ferry boat pulled its bow up to the tip of the wing, and the first mate lowered the Jacobs ladder down to us. We got a couple people up the ladder to safety, but the current was strong pushing the stern of the boat into the inflatable slide and we were afraid it would puncture it...there must have been 25 passengers in it by now. Only two or three were able to board the first ferry before it moved away.
Another ferry came up, and we were able to get the woman that had fallen into the water on the ladder, but she just couldn't move her legs and fell off. Back onto the ladder she went; however, the ferry had to back away because of the swift current. A helicopter arrived on station (nearly blowing us all off the wing) and followed the ferry with the woman on the ladder. We lost view of the situation but I believe the helicopter lowered its basket to rescue her.

As more ferries arrived, we were able to get people up on the boats a few at a time. The fellow in front of me fell off the ladder and into the water. When we got him back on the ladder he could not move his legs to climb. I couldn't help him from my position so I climbed up the ladder to the ferry deck where the first mate and I hoisted the Jacobs ladder with him on it...when he got close enough we grabbed his trouser belt and hauled him on deck. We were all safely off the wing.

We could not stop shaking. Uncontrollable shaking. The only thing I had with me was my blackberry, which had gotten wet and was not working. (It started working again a few hours later).

The ferry took us to the Weehawken Terminal in NJ where I borrowed a phone and called my wife to let her know I was okay. The second call I made was to Jenn. I knew she would be worried about me and could communicate to the rest of the firm that I was fine. At the terminal, first responders assessed everyone's condition and sent people to the hospital as needed. As we pulled out of Weehawken my history kicked in and I recall it was the site of the famous duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr in 1804. Thankfully I left town in better condition than Mr. Hamilton who died of a mortal wound the next day! I stayed with my sister on Long Island that evening, then flew home the next day.

I am struck by what was truly a miracle. Had this happened a few hours later, it would have been pitch dark and much harder to land. Ferries would no longer have been running after rush hour and it would not have been the same uplifting story. Surely there would have been fatalities, hypothermia, an absolute disaster!

I witnessed the best of humanity that day. I and everyone on that plane survived and have been given a second chance. It struck me that in our work we continuously seek excellence to solve our client's leadership problems. We talk to clients all the time about the importance of experience and the ability to execute. Experience showed up big time on Flight 1549 as our pilot was a dedicated, trained, experienced professional who executed flawlessly when he had to.

I have received scores of emails from across the firm and I am so grateful for the outpouring of interest and concern. We all fly a great deal or work with someone who does and so I wanted to share this story - the story of a miracle. I am thankful to be here to tell the tale.

There is a great deal to be learned including: Why has this happened to me? Why have I survived and what am I supposed to do with this gift? For me, the answers to these questions and more will come over time, but already I find myself being more patient and forgiving, less critical and judgmental.

For now I have 4 lessons I would like to share:
1. Cherish your families as never before and go to great lengths to keep your promises.
2. Be thankful and grateful for everything you have and don't worry about the things you don't have.
3. Keep in shape. You never know when you'll be called upon to save your own life, or help someone else save theirs.
4. When you fly, wear practical clothing. You never know when you'll end up in an emergency or on an icy wing in flip flops and pajamas and of absolutely no use to yourself or anyone else.
And I'd like to add: Fly with gray-haired pilots!

[Karla’s Comment: Have you noticed the color of Charles Simmons’ hair lately?]

[Glenda Burns Minniece]

Thank you, Charles, for sending this excellent commentary to Karla for her to post on our blog - otherwise we might would never have seen it. What a gripping, well-written story by Mr. McNamara. Makes one feel like they're a part of the action, but thankful not to be. His four tips are noteworthy!