The word "hero" is used so loosely these days

[Mindware]

Difference is this pilot had just as much to gain by a safe landing as the passengers since he couldnt exactly eject himself out like a fighterpilot would if his plane was going down, on the other hand a fireman actually goes from being into a safe secure area and dives right into to hell on earth with the sole mission of saving lives and minimalizing property damage. No comparison IMO.

Great point, that's what i originally meant. To seriousaddiction, i know you're talking about firefighters in general, but for example i don't think you can compare the NYFD fighters of 9/11 to the US airway pilot yesterday. Those firefighters were definite heroes in my book b/c it took a huge amount of bravery in what they did. Yea it was their job, but they had to make that brave decision where they were safe outside but literally risked their lives to go in a burning and structurally damaged skyscraper to save the lives of others. It definitely is all relative, but i don't think bravery had a whole lot to do in what that pilot did yesterday

 

[squeeze3]

Thank you, Mindware!

We are too quick to label everyone heroes these days. Judging from the relative ease that the plane was brought down, something tells me that this was a failry routine maneuver with both engines out. We would need a commerical pilot to comment on how difficult it really was. If it was, as I supect, not terribly difficult, how could we expect the pilot to act any differently under the circumstances, especially given he was trying to save his own life. He would have done the exact same thing if he had been the only person on board, so it's not like he was sacrificing anything for the passengers. I agree....job well done...yet nothing heroic about his actions.

For those over 40, remember that Air Florida crash in DC? Remember the guy that jumped off the bridge into the icy waters to rescue people? Now he was a true hero....puting his own life at risk to help others.

Someone even claimed those ferry boat captains were heroes. All they did was steer their boats towards the downed plane and then helped people out of the water. Would anyone here have acted any differently?

 

[tkim11]

If you were the pilot 150+ people would be dead. My understanding is this is the first commercial jet airliner to make a water landing and not get anyone killed. Hero.

Making a safe water landing doesnt make him a hero. Just makes him an extordinary pilot. I would think most pilots would have crashed the plane rather than achieve what this guy did.

Is he a hero...honestly, I dont care. People arent dead. Families are happy.

Its Friday. Let all go get f up and find us some nice young puntang...who's with me?

 

[cut-paste-hero]

Thank you, Mindware!

We are too quick to label everyone heroes these days. Judging from the relative ease that the plane was brought down, something tells me that this was a failry routine maneuver with both engines out. We would need a commerical pilot to comment on how difficult it really was. If it was, as I supect, not terribly difficult, how could we expect the pilot to act any differently under the circumstances, especially given he was trying to save his own life. He would have done the exact same thing if he had been the only person on board, so it's not like he was sacrificing anything for the passengers. I agree....job well done...yet nothing heroic about his actions.

For those over 40, remember that Air Florida crash in DC? Remember the guy that jumped off the bridge into the icy waters to rescue people? Now he was a true hero....puting his own life at risk to help others.

Someone even claimed those ferry boat captains were heroes. All they did was steer their boats towards the downed plane and then helped people out of the water. Would anyone here have acted any differently?

again PO69, say it was lunch time, what would you do?

 

[NES]

again PO69, say it was lunch time, what would you do?

You can call PO69 anything you want Cut, just dont call him late for dinner.

 

[Furmanski]

Thank you, Mindware!

We are too quick to label everyone heroes these days. Judging from the relative ease that the plane was brought down, something tells me that this was a failry routine maneuver with both engines out. We would need a commerical pilot to comment on how difficult it really was. If it was, as I supect, not terribly difficult, how could we expect the pilot to act any differently under the circumstances, especially given he was trying to save his own life. He would have done the exact same thing if he had been the only person on board, so it's not like he was sacrificing anything for the passengers. I agree....job well done...yet nothing heroic about his actions.

For those over 40, remember that Air Florida crash in DC? Remember the guy that jumped off the bridge into the icy waters to rescue people? Now he was a true hero....puting his own life at risk to help others.

Someone even claimed those ferry boat captains were heroes. All they did was steer their boats towards the downed plane and then helped people out of the water. Would anyone here have acted any differently?

I spoke with my dad who was a pilot for 29 years, and he said that the odds of no one being seriously hurt or dying from something like this would possibly happen 1 or 2 times out of 100.

Pilots simply do not practice landing in a river, so I definitely consider what the pilot did as remarkable and heroic. For my dad to say that what the pilot did it was an incredibly impressive job is enough for me.

 

[VIEJODINOSAUR]

I guarantee you if anyone here had family members on board that flight, you would be kissing the pilot's ass everyday for the rest of your life...He is a hero...

Re-read the pilot's biography and you will find out about all the work he has done with aviation safety...not many pilot's could have done what he did....

 

[alm]

Everyone's a damn hero these days. How exactly is the pilot of yesterday's US Airways a hero? Is everyone a hero for doing their job now? Don't get me wrong, i'm very glad that everyone made out safely in that accident, but c'mon. Granted he stayed calm and landed the plane well, and i think he deserves a bonus check for surviving a crucial test, but i wouldn't label him a hero. Now if the plane crashed and passengers were out in the river and he were to risk his own life swimming in the river to rescue them, then i'd say he'd be a hero.

a bonus check for surviving a crucial test?

what are you nuts? a safe water ditch almost never happens in a plane that size.

HOW would you even think about wanting to post something like this in the first place?

 

[alm]

I guarantee you if anyone here had family members on board that flight, you would be kissing the pilot's ass everyday for the rest of your life...He is a hero...

Re-read the pilot's biography and you will find out about all the work he has done with aviation safety...not many pilot's could have done what he did....

VD,

I had an airplane mishap which invloved a fire in the cockpit. We had to land with no interior power, in the middle of a stormy night. The plane went into an immediate drop from 36k feet and landed in a Vienna airfield.

First thing I thought when we landed was, where is a fricking smoke, give me a shot of whiskey and where can I find the heros who landed this thing.

 

[Enfuego]

Thank you, Mindware!

We are too quick to label everyone heroes these days. Judging from the relative ease that the plane was brought down, something tells me that this was a failry routine maneuver with both engines out. We would need a commerical pilot to comment on how difficult it really was. If it was, as I supect, not terribly difficult, how could we expect the pilot to act any differently under the circumstances, especially given he was trying to save his own life. He would have done the exact same thing if he had been the only person on board, so it's not like he was sacrificing anything for the passengers. I agree....job well done...yet nothing heroic about his actions.

For those over 40, remember that Air Florida crash in DC? Remember the guy that jumped off the bridge into the icy waters to rescue people? Now he was a true hero....puting his own life at risk to help others.

Someone even claimed those ferry boat captains were heroes. All they did was steer their boats towards the downed plane and then helped people out of the water. Would anyone here have acted any differently?

In all honesty this is easily the dumbest post of 2009 so let's bookmark it please.

Do you think pilots train to land in a river, lake or ocean? I'm sure they train all the time to cut off the engines of an aircraft and land in a body of water. I'm sure it's a routine maneuver to land a plane with 150 on board into a river.

Seriously, WTF is wrong with you?

 

[Presto]

Here's what I was taught. You are either a victim or a hero. You could use a class in newspeak 101.

 

[kidslick]

In all honesty this is easily the dumbest post of 2009 so let's bookmark it please.



Seriously, WTF is wrong with you?

LOL.............ope:

 

[Wynn]

I have a bigger problem with calling it the "Miracle on the Hudson". What's miraculous about people stepping up during a crisis and performing? Inspirational - yes, miraculous - no.

 

[ProPokerPlayer]

You will see a lot more of these HERO'S in the next 4 yrs...you will see them everyday that the news story should be something important that is going to screw you straight up your asssssssssssss..............But you wont see it or hear about it.... instead of the biggest POS constitution hating ,lying , bribe accepting, America selling, dictator promoting son of a bitch going on LIVE TV and telling LIE after LIE and saying his CRIMES will make him a BETTER Attorney General you Helen Keller look alikes get 15 hours of continous coverage of a frickin airplane with a bird in the damn motor.....

 

[Jack Herer]

This happened a while back in Germany. Pretty impresive reaction by the pilot too.

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[-Slim-]

You're right about the word being used more than it should, but this guy is definitely a hero.

 

[squeeze3]

In all honesty this is easily the dumbest post of 2009 so let's bookmark it please.

Do you think pilots train to land in a river, lake or ocean? I'm sure they train all the time to cut off the engines of an aircraft and land in a body of water. I'm sure it's a routine maneuver to land a plane with 150 on board into a river.

Seriously, WTF is wrong with you?

Certainly appreciate the nomination, but we still have along way to go in 2009 so I won't hold my breath. In response to your question, yes, pilots indeed practice water landings (simulators, or course) and certainly have training in landing planes without engine power.

The post regarding how impressive the landing was from the friend of the pilot impressed me, as his source has firsthand knowledge of the difficulties of such a maneuver. So it appears that this was anything but routine.

Yet I still maintain that people too easily blur the lines between competency and heroism.

 

[Buster]

footage....

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[Enfuego]

Certainly appreciate the nomination, but we still have along way to go in 2009 so I won't hold my breath. In response to your question, yes, pilots indeed practice water landings (simulators, or course) and certainly have training in landing planes without engine power.

The post regarding how impressive the landing was from the friend of the pilot impressed me, as his source has firsthand knowledge of the difficulties of such a maneuver. So it appears that this was anything but routine.

Yet I still maintain that people too easily blur the lines between competency and heroism.

Yes, I forgot, simulators are very similar to the real thing and landing an airplane with 150 passengers in the middle of the river with no engines is something they practice a lot.

I've worked around heavies and fighters for nearly 10 years and let me tell you this landing is nowhere close to being routine and easy. This guy made just performed what some may consider a miracle.

 

[Buster]

anyone else find it funny 150 people can vacate a sinking airplane after a crash in an orderly fashion without any deaths?

yet people cannot line up at a walmart the day after thankgiving without it resulting in death..