Chesley B. Sullenberger

J-3 Piper Cub ( www.flightglobal.com)

Have you ever been exposed to something for only a couple of minutes and already knew that you wanted to do it for the rest of your life? Well, for me it is flying airplanes. Ever since my first airplane ride, I knew I wanted to be a pilot; I wanted to fly. My first flight was very short, and it only took one time around the pattern in a Piper Cub, to know my destiny. Flying is the main thing that interests me now. That first airplane ride in a J-3 Piper Cub at DeKalb County Airport on Labor Day weekend of 2008 changed my life. Since then, I have learned how to fly not only R.C. planes but full scale airplanes too. If I’m not at the local R/C flying field, then I am at a competition or R/C meet flying. Just this weekend, I won a Pylon race flying with some of the top pilots in the US. The plane I was flying was an Aerocat. Discussions about airplanes seem to just grab my attention. When I heard the news about a plane landing in the Hudson River, I immediately became very interested in what happened.

U.S. Airways Flight 1549 started out like any other flight, when on takeoff it collided with a flock of birds; causing both jet engines to lose power. Losing both engines on takeoff is usually disastrous. The news story that developed could have turned out to be a tragic story with lots of people losing their lives, but because of one brave man and his copilot, it turned out to be a story of heroism. His name is Chesley Sullenberger; also known as “Sully” Sullenberger. He saved the lives of 155 people on January 15, 2009. Flight 1549 was scheduled to go from LaGuardia Airport in New York to Charlotte, North Carolina. The plane was at 3,000 feet when they encountered the birds. Sully immediately began discussing his options with the Air traffic controllers but quickly realized none of the options available would keep the 155 passengers from dying. He quickly realized a water landing in the freezing Hudson River was the only option available. He knew the Hudson River authority trained for such events and hoped they were listening. He warned everyone on board to “brace for impact.” Sully looked for a place in the river that was clear and had boats along the bank. The plane flew over the George Washington Bridge and safely touched down in the middle of the Hudson. After a couple of minutes, boats arrived to help passengers from the sinking plane. 155 passengers got to see their families again.

Chesley Burnett Sullenberger was born in Grayson County, Texas on January 23, 1931. He began flying when he was only twelve years old, and received his pilot’s license when he was fourteen. When he turned fifteen, he got a job as a crop duster. His parents were a dentist and an elementary school teacher. To his friends, he is known as “Sully.” In 1969 Sullenberger Graduated near the top of his high school class at Denison High School. That same year he was accepted into the United States Air Force Academy. Shortly after his acceptance into the academy, Sully became an instructor pilot. Four years later in 1973, he graduated from the academy with degrees in psychology and basic sciences. For the next seven years, Sully served in the peacetime Air Force. He got to fly the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II fighters. During the seven years, Sullenberger received the rank of captain along with becoming a training officer and a flight leader. Another advancement he received was becoming a member of the accident investigation board. After serving in the Air Force, Sullenberger started a consulting firm known as Safety Reliability Methods Inc and decided to become a commercial airline pilot

Plane Floating in the Hudson ( toxichypoxic.com)

I really hope I can follow in Sully’s footsteps. He went to the Air Force Academy like I want to. I have my heart set to go to college at the academy. I work really hard to be first in my class, and I work out with my dad a lot so I will be in shape to get into the academy. Also I want to serve in the Air Force like Sully did. I really think Sully is a hero. He saved many people’s lives. I think he did this because he always gave 110 percent no matter what it was he was doing. He never took the easy way. Hard work does pay off, and Sully is proof of that. I try to give 110 percent in everything I do. I really hope that I can follow Sully’s footsteps and become a hero like he did.