U.S. Airways flight 1549 makes an emergency landing near
USS Intrepid museum!
That's the bad news! The good news is the 148 passengers and 5 crew members are reportedly alive and well and there were no ground casualties. The initial reports indicate that the Airbus 320 ingested birds in both engines on departure from New York's Laguardia airport.
The successful ending of this story clearly highlights the great aviation skill of the pilots who brilliantly maneuvered the airframe to a safe water landing. Additionally, the professionalism of the cabin crew and air traffic controllers, the expeditious evacuation by the passengers, and the speedy recovery by maritime vehicles in the area should also be noted.
When you consider how populated the New York City area is, it's very easy to construct an alternate, more tragic, ending to this story. I'm thankful that we're just looking at the "cold and wet people option."
To the many that made this conclusion possible - God Speed!
Intrepid Remembers!
To read more about the Captain of Flight 1549;
2 comments:
It's always nice to hear a story with a happy ending. I've watched the videos on the BBC; I don't know much about flying but I guess it took some skill and nerves of steel to land that plane in those cicumstances. Phew!
I love rescues and happy endings.
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