Capt. Sully Plans Return to Flying

(NEWSER) - A portrait of a hero is emerging from today's jet crash on the Hudson. The pilot, 57-year-old Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, is drawing praise not only for his "masterful" landing without engines but for his calm actions afterward to make sure his passengers were OK, the Daily News reports. "He was the last one off the plane," said Mayor Bloomberg, noting that Sullenberger walked the aisles twice to make sure everyone had gotten out. More»

Miracle on Hudson pilot says he'll remain a safety advocate

(NEWSER) - Hero pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who safely landed his US Airways jet in the Hudson River last year, is retiring after a final flight today. The captain, 59, says he “will continue to serve as the same kind of advocate I have always been—not only for aviation safety, but for the airline piloting profession,” and continue to remind the industry and regulators of the “sacred duty” pilots have to their passengers. One of the flight attendants on Flight 1549 announced her retirement as well, NPR notes. More»

Insurer accused of using goodwill towards flight crew to dodge paying up

(NEWSER) - Passengers from US Airways Flight 1549 are having a tough time getting its insurer, AIG, to cough up for claims, the New York Times reports. Aviation liability insurance requires a finding of negligence. But Capt. Chesley Sullenberger and his crew were universally acknowledged to have performed amazingly well in saving all passengers, and the insurer is using that to dodge payments to those who suffered losses or injuries. More»

'Thank you' inadequate for speedy rescuers, says Sully

(NEWSER) - The moments after the engines of US Airways Flight 1549 died were the worst of his life, hero pilot Chesley Sullenberger tells Katie Couric in a 60 Minutes interview to air Monday. Disbelief was followed by a "sickening, pit-of-your-stomach, falling-through-the-floor feeling," as an eerie silence and a disturbing smell filled the plane, he recalled. More»

'Sully' from age when pilots were trained to be mavericks

(NEWSER) - In an era when pilots are trained to minimize risk and stick to standard procedures, Chesley Sullenberger of Flight 1549 may be one of the last of his kind, New York magazine reports. He was trained in an earlier era, one in which pilots were treated as gods, and a military mentality was embraced. Many had fought in Vietnam, and thus were trained to take risks. More»