Comments on: Citizen Journalism +1

By: sux2bme

sux2bme — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:47:29 +0000

Its a shame this did get on video in some fashion … it could be a valuable “this is how its done” training tool.

To ditch a jet aircraft in the water with enough finesse to keep it from breaking up on impact is simply outstanding pilot skill. Even with what has been reported to be both engines out, he seems to have managed to have stalled out ideally with a nose up attitude letting the tail make contact first and then the rest of the plane. Had the plane hit the water nose first, I imaging that the hydraulic force of the water would have torn the engines/wings off and opened up the fuselage.

The entire flight crew were consummate professionals in their finest …

By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:39:17 +0000

Give that pilot a raise!

Folks, you should see the flight simulators that the airlines use. This ain’t no $90 Micro$oft product. They can (and do) throw anything at the pilot and watch what he does, and the instructor can show him what went wrong. I understand the Captain of that aircraft used to fly fighters for the Air Force.

By: A.G. Pym

A.G. Pym — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:14:03 +0000

The pilot of this airliner is one of those people you *wish* could be the one in charge during an emergency. A former F-4 driver who runs a safety consulting firm, was part of the NTSB investigatory organization, and has studied how to keep crews in control and operational during emergencies. He not only prepped everyone appropriately and did a nice bit of flying, he made sure that all were out by walking the plane _twice_ as it sank to verify that all his charges were safe.

This is how a _man_ is!

Coverage of him:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,480108,00.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,480204,00.html

By: Robert

Robert — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:14:03 +0000

Was the person that took that picture an authorized journalist? He wasn’t a plumber or anything like that was he?

/snark

By: The Johnny Appleseed Of Crack

The Johnny Appleseed Of Crack — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 07:18:25 +0000

Gee, it’s too bad that the NYPD didn’t yet have their cell phone disabler functioning. Then there would be no non-police vehicles involved in the rescue. Several people would have died, but, that’s just the price you’ve got to pay to make sure that citizens are utterly helpless, and totally dependent on the government, whenever there is an emergency. Its always nice to be wanted.

By: tarran

tarran — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:27:08 +0000

Andrew Williams, my intemperate friend,

Cynical in CA was calling the appearance of comments about terrorism in the article pathetic, not the skills of the pilot. See the previous comments, which he obviously was replying to.

By: j.d.

j.d. — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:18:33 +0000

so i guess this means we can’t bring geese on planes now?

By: John Jenkins

John Jenkins — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:17:25 +0000

I just realized that should have been Canadian birds. Damn it.

By: Andrew Williams

Andrew Williams — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:15:05 +0000

That was one Hell of a water landing, esp. without the props. Fuck you, Cynical. Let’s see you do better.

By: John Jenkins

John Jenkins — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:00:02 +0000

We all know this is what happens when we allow unfettered immigration of birds from Mexico every year.

By: Tim C

Tim C — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:30:03 +0000

Wow, interesting. Pays to pay attention to the safety instructions (often attacked as useless, you’ll never make it out of an actual crash, etc etc)!

By: claude

claude — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:24:11 +0000

“Government officials do not believe the crash is related to terrorism.”

I think we should reserve judgement until the true motives of the birds involved has been determined.

By: mattincincy

mattincincy — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:23:55 +0000

I meant thanks to the person who took this pic.

By: mattincincy

mattincincy — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:17:06 +0000

Kyle I think this might explain all of that…

Re: the terrorism comment, it didn’t HAVE to be in the article. I don’t think anyone would have been miffed if that sentence were totally left out.

Great job by the pilot, and thanks to the person taking this pic.

By: Cynical in CA

Cynical in CA — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:31:38 +0000

Not sad. Pathetic.

That plane looks like a modern Titanic. Fortunately everyone survived.

By: nobahdi

nobahdi — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:57:53 +0000

Government officials do not believe the crash is related to terrorism.

Isn’t it sad that this has to be in the article?

By: MacGregory

MacGregory — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:52:49 +0000

ABC broke into regular programming to try to be the first MSM to engage in speculative journalism. They seemed sorely disappointed that the “flock of birds” explanation came out so quickly.
I’m happy that no one was seriously injured.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:45:42 +0000

I was walking along 34th around 5pm and saw 30+ cop cars race by, along with a smattering of other emergency vehicles. No one had any idea what was going on, but this might explain some of it.

By: av

av — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:05:39 +0000

The pilot did an excellent job.

By: pegr

pegr — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:02:26 +0000

Wow. The chances of landing a plane on the Hudson river with no injuries/deaths are incredibly remote. They should buy that pilot as many drinks as he wants! (After they test him for alcohol first. ;)

I was on a plane that had to abort takeoff due to engine failure. The pilot handled it perfectly. When I got off the plane, I complimented the pilot on his skill, and asked him how many times something like that had happened to him.

With his ever-present smile, he replied, “Sir, I’ve been flying for 27 years, and that’s the first time I’ve ever seen that.”