Author: Will Weyer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO – Ambassador Sully Sullenberger, who recently served as the U.S. Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization, and is best known for successfully landing his disabled jetliner on the Hudson River with no fatalities in January 2009, has long spoken about the need for quantity and quality when it comes to new pilot training – and how we can and must have both. He released the following statement ahead of today’s House Subcommittee on Aviation hearing:

“Airline industry lobbyists and some in Congress are still trying to cut pilot training in half to cheapen and quicken it. That is a dumb and dangerous idea. With the recent shocking airline near misses and close calls, now is absolutely not the time to cut corners. No one would want their loved ones to board an airliner piloted by a crew not able to handle whatever challenges they will face.”

Ambassador Sullenberger will be listening to today’s hearing – “FAA Reauthorization: Examining Current and Future Challenges Facing the Aerospace Workforce.” He is a speaker, author, safety expert, and an ardent advocate for the safety of everyone who flies. His lifelong preparation and leadership enabled him to safely guide US Airways Flight 1549 to an emergency water landing in New York City’s frigid Hudson River – an inspirational and iconic moment in modern history. During his tenure as Ambassador to ICAO, a United Nations Specialized Agency, he reasserted U.S. leadership there, tackling the aviation crises involving Belarus, Russia, a Middle East airspace dispute and climate change. He has also testified before Congressional committees several times, as recently as 2019.

By Chesley B. ‘Sully’ Sullenberger IIIOctober 29, 2018

Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger is a safety expert, author and speaker on leadership and culture.

Nearly 10 years ago, I led 154 people to safety as the captain of US Airways Flight 1549, which suffered bird strikes, lost thrust in the engines and was forced to make an emergency landing on the Hudson River. Some called it “the Miracle on the Hudson.” But it was not a miracle. It was, in microcosm, an example of what is needed in emergencies — including the current national crisis — and what is possible when we serve a cause greater than ourselves.

On our famous flight, I witnessed the best in people who rose to the occasion. Passengers and crew worked together to help evacuate an elderly passenger and a mother with a 9-month-old child. New York Waterway took the initiative to radio their vessels to head toward us when they saw us approaching. This successful landing, in short, was the result of good judgment, experience, skill — and the efforts of many.

But as captain, I ultimately was responsible for everything that happened. Had even one person not survived, I would have considered it a tragic failure that I would have felt deeply for the rest of my life. To navigate complex challenges, all leaders must take responsibility and have a moral compass grounded in competence, integrity and concern for the greater good.

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Retired US Airways Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who saved 155 lives on Flight 1549 after a heroic emergency landing on the Hudson River in 2009, visited the Academy Oct. 20 to hear cadets’ thoughts on veteran care. (more…)