Can we take a moment to toast the incredible pilot that executed that water landing?

[Happyhippychick]

:toast:

Mr. Pilot Dude, you fucking rock!

[stuntcat]

1. everyone on that plane..

they could have so easily DIED. This is an amazing story, what I've heard anyway! :toast:

[thunder rising]

2. Well, what the f@#$ choice did he have.

[Graybeard]

6. Losing control and crashing into the city?

I read that NY has 26,000+ people per sq. mile.

[chucktaylor]

19. I guess he could have landed it on your high horse.

[LadyoftheRabbits]

3. Amazing

Doesn't do anything for my fear of flying (:P), but he did an spectacular job making such quick decisions. :toast:

[cobalt1999]

4. Takes some skill to land a jet without engines

while simultaneously shitting yourself and screaming OMG!, OMG!.


Seriously, as a private pilot myself, it was pretty impressive.

[seabeyond]

5. made me cry just now on olberman watching a passenger talk and then

talking about how boats were immediately there to help, and of course

the pilot.

:toast:

i just love the story.

[Happyhippychick]

8. The second best part: it trumped any mention of Chimpy's speech.

[blonndee]

14. Me, too. Weren't the initial boats just ferries?

I was at work when this happened, so I'm trying to catch up on the story. So far I know the pilot had some options and chose one that ended up saving ALL the passengers. But I want to know who saved them and when, too. :)

[Berry Cool]

15. I heard that motorists and people in buildings along the river were calling 911

when they saw the plane coming down so low...the ferries saw what was going on and went over ASAP to offer what help they could...and thanks to their quick presence, it was possible to unload the plane of passengers in only 90 seconds.

KO said the pilot then went back up and down the aisle twice, while the plane was sinking, looking for people they may have missed.

Bravo.

[blonndee]

16. That's fantastic!

So cool to hear everyone pitched in to help. It sounds like a real community made this happen. It almost makes me cry to think about ferries coming over to help out.

[liberalmuse]

7. That was pretty incredible.

And he went through the plane after wards to make sure everyone had gotten out. It's just a damn good story for a change.

[Zywiec]

9. Prost to the pilot!

:toast:

[zeemike]

10. It takes a skilled pilot to land a plain of that size on water

And not tear it into pieces.
Both pilot and co pilot deserve any recognition the get.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

11. Kudos to the pilot!

He is a true hero!

[dflprincess]

12. Yes cheers to the pilot

but let's not forget the rest of crew, especially the flight attendants who also appear to have done their jobs to perfection today.

[blonndee]

13. Yup, good for him. Not an easy decision, based on what I've heard, but the best one.

Good for you, Mr. Pilot.

[backscatter712]

17. CHEERS!!!

:toast:

Cheers to the captain and copilot, cheers to the flight attendants, who all did their duties and got everyone off, and cheers to the ferry crews and firefighters and Coast Guard members who got everyone off alive.

:beer:

[JerseygirlCT]

18. Absolutely. And the crew, and the passengers, and those

ferry operators - near flawless in all respects. Such a miracle!