A
Adler
Guest
I'm watching the inauguration, and they had a reported on the "VIP Deck". The reporter pointed out the seats reserved which read, "Pilot" "Crew 1" "Crew" 2" "Crew 3". Very disappointing.
Can we all thank the CO PILOT of the U.S. Airways plane!
- Thread starter dpgtime
- Start date
Baronman
Well-Known Member
It goes without saying that the whole crew deserves much credit for getting 155 people out of a plane on the Hudson.
That being said, from what it sounds like the Captain went above and beyond. He was faced with what was almost an unthinkable abnormal, made a preliminary plan (going back to LGA/TEB), began to carry it out, reevaluated the plan to see it wasn't satisfactory (they would land in a populated area) and carried out a new plan (ditching in the water).
From there it sounds like he was the pilot flying during the water landing which ultimately, if done incorrectly could have led to a catastrophic crash.
The cabin crew did what they were trained to do, they got 155 people out of a floating aircraft. This is surely difficult, and these FAs train yearly to carry out such a evacuation. I imagine no evacuation is "textbook," as abnormals arise during this process (fire, blocked exits, babies etc).
I'm sure if you asked any pilot, "Do you think you'll ever ditch your airliner in the water?" the answer would be "No." If you ask any flight attendant, "Do you think you'll ever evacuate an airplane?" It would be a much more mixed answer.
In my head, the event that most easily could have gone horribly wrong would be the decision (or lack of) to land in the water followed by carrying it out. And I give the man at the controls credit for it.
I guess in the coming year we will get more info on the actions of the FO. All we know now is that he was PF on the TO and subsequent birdstrike, and that he ran checklists on the way down....Not that easy considering you have about 90 seconds till impact and you surely don't know exactly where the "Water Ditching" page is in the QRH.
That being said, from what it sounds like the Captain went above and beyond. He was faced with what was almost an unthinkable abnormal, made a preliminary plan (going back to LGA/TEB), began to carry it out, reevaluated the plan to see it wasn't satisfactory (they would land in a populated area) and carried out a new plan (ditching in the water).
From there it sounds like he was the pilot flying during the water landing which ultimately, if done incorrectly could have led to a catastrophic crash.
The cabin crew did what they were trained to do, they got 155 people out of a floating aircraft. This is surely difficult, and these FAs train yearly to carry out such a evacuation. I imagine no evacuation is "textbook," as abnormals arise during this process (fire, blocked exits, babies etc).
I'm sure if you asked any pilot, "Do you think you'll ever ditch your airliner in the water?" the answer would be "No." If you ask any flight attendant, "Do you think you'll ever evacuate an airplane?" It would be a much more mixed answer.
In my head, the event that most easily could have gone horribly wrong would be the decision (or lack of) to land in the water followed by carrying it out. And I give the man at the controls credit for it.
I guess in the coming year we will get more info on the actions of the FO. All we know now is that he was PF on the TO and subsequent birdstrike, and that he ran checklists on the way down....Not that easy considering you have about 90 seconds till impact and you surely don't know exactly where the "Water Ditching" page is in the QRH.