Capt. Sully: I Could Have Done Better

Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the man the New York Daily News dubs the “Hero of the Hudson,” thinks he could have done better. “I wish I had had more time,” the now-famous pilot said today, testifying before the National Transportation Safety Board. His big regret: Not warning the flight crew or passengers that they were about to hit the water.

The only warning anyone outside the cabin got was a quick message from Sullenberger: “This is the captain—brace for impact.” When they touched down, Sullenberger and his co-pilot turned to each other and said, in unison, “Well, that wasn’t as bad as I thought.” Sullenberger’s testimony kicks off three days of NTSB hearings on the crash; they are expected to focus on the dangers of bird strikes. (More Chesley Sullenberger stories.)