U.S. AIRWAYS JET CRASHES IN HUDSON RIVER

[VinReaper]

That is the old school NT teamwork I like to hear!

VR

[Endless Wake]

Everyone is calling the pilot a hero, come'on. Good pilot yes, hero - not so much. What were his alternatives, crash into the land and die?

Now those crews of the ferry boats that arrived and pulled people out, them I would call heroes since for all they knew a couple of hundred gallons of jet fuel could have blown up any at any second.

[Tetragrammaton]

Yeah, some hero all he did was his job under extreme circumstance and saved the lives of over a hundred other people!

[carrillj]

Originally Posted by Endless Wake

Everyone is calling the pilot a hero, come'on. Good pilot yes, hero - not so much. What were his alternatives, crash into the land and die?

Now those crews of the ferry boats that arrived and pulled people out, them I would call heroes since for all they knew a couple of hundred gallons of jet fuel could have blown up any at any second.

If I was aboard that plane or had family/friends on it, then I would call the pilot a hero. Crash landing on water is most often fatal, since no amount of training can prepare any pilot for it. Landing slightly off course of a near perfect landing would have destroyed that plane on impact and could have killed everyone on board.

The aircrew had complete control of the plane during duress (I probably would have freaked out) and are heroes in my book.

[Endless Wake]

Again, it was either do what he did or crash and die, thats not a hero (excellent pilot yes). Is a bus driver who hits the brakes before slamming into a truck a hero? No, he's a good driver.

[Endless Wake]

The pilot was already in harm's way, he reacted to the situation. Now those ferry crews put themselves in harm's way, risked their lives, to go save people. They weren't paid to do it, it wasn't their job, no one would have blamed them for not going near a crashed plane full of jet fuel, and yet they still went out there.

[carrillj]

Usually heroes are recognized by their quick actions that saved lives, when the odds of survival are against them. In this case the engine failure would have almost certainly resulted in some loss of lives, but the pilots quick and decisive actions kept everyone on board alive. Before even landing the plane in water, the pilot chose the best course of action and did not try to return back to the airport as told by the air traffic controllers. He knew he could not have made it there in time, but another pilot could have attempted it and the outcome could have ended differently.

I'm sure we'll find out more information and know if this pilot will receive the accolades he deserves.

By the way, if given the choice, I would prefer being on a ferry rescuing people opposed to piloting a crash landing plane. Unless there was smoke coming out of the plane (which there wasn't), there was little danger involved in the recue efforts.

[Tetragrammaton]

Endless Wake is correct.

According to the online definition, the pilot is certainly no hero.

a large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise and filled with meats and cheese (and tomato and onion and lettuce and condiments

But why argue?

[carrillj]

Originally Posted by Tetragrammaton

Endless Wake is correct.

According to the online definition, the pilot is certainly no hero.

a large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise and filled with meats and cheese (and tomato and onion and lettuce and condiments

But why argue?

D'oh! I forgot about the sandwich! I stand corrected.

[Collection King 13]

Originally Posted by Endless Wake

Everyone is calling the pilot a hero, come'on. Good pilot yes, hero - not so much. What were his alternatives, crash into the land and die?

Now those crews of the ferry boats that arrived and pulled people out, them I would call heroes since for all they knew a couple of hundred gallons of jet fuel could have blown up any at any second.

I agree... & I felt like the news was being shoved down my throat!