Flight 1549: Here's a Lesson from Sully

The FAA released its tower recordings from the very short commuter ride that was US Airways Flight 1549, which took off from La Guardia and landed a few minutes later smack dab in the middle of the icy Hudson River. It's all chiling stuff, no pun intended.    

There are doubtless a number of lessons to be learned from the flight, but one that jumps out at me is the way that the airplane's captain, the by-now famous Chesley "Sully" Sullenbeger,  handled the radio. There was simply no doubt about it: He was the boss. It was his airplane. He was the decision maker.

Cockpit resource management, the strategy whereby the crew works as an efficient team to fly the airplane, is a critical component to the safe operation of a crewed flight. But there is some misunderstanding about what that means in time of crisis. It doesn't mean that the crew uses a decision by committe approach; it means that pilots split duties so what needs to get done gets done. The crew of 1549 did that masterfully.

But good CRM also means that the captain is the captain. If he's doing something unsafe or if she's forgetting something, the first officer's duty is to call that to the captain's attention. But that doesn't mean that anybody is confused about whose ship it is.

The most profound way that Captain Sullenberger demonstrated his understanding of his role in the cockpit on that brief flight, though, was by how he communicated with the tower. At one point after clearing the way with tower at nearby Teterboro, the tower controller radioed, "Cactus 1529 turn right two-eight-zero" vectors for the north runway at Teterboro.

Sully didn't waste a moment. "We can't do it." 

"Which runway would you like at Teterboro?" the controller asked, understandably unprepared to ask which pier along the river the flight would like to dock at. 

"We're going to be in the Hudson," was Sully's reply. The decision had been made. That was the last controllers would hear from 1549. The pilots were busy flying the airplane. (For that matter, how's that for a lesson?)

Now, when you're flying an 80 ton glider at a couple of thousand feet AGL, there's just no time ponder the options. You've got to act, and that's what Sullenberger did. It was the difference between . . . well, you know.

The lesson that Sully learned probably decades back is one that new pilots have a hard time coming around to--I know that I did. It's telling the tower that you can't--or won't--comply with an instruction. You're the captain, not them. Might there be consequences? Sure. You've got to weigh them and factor that into your decision. Again, you're the captain. Generally, the downside isn't much more than a grumpy controller and a short vector or 360 degree turn while the controller works in other traffic.

I remember when that I finally figured out who was the boss. I was taking my wife's grandmother on a sightseeing flight over Manhatten years ago in a rented Cessna 182. We were heading back into Bridgeport (CT) and the controller gave me a long straight in to Runway 6, their preferred runway due to noise abatement procedures. Only problem was, the wind was gusting from the northwest at around 30 knots, and there was a perfectly good Runway 29 sitting right there a quick base to final away for me.

"Tower, Cessna 12345 would prefer Runway two-niner," I informed him.

He came right back to me, "Runway 6 is active, cleared to land, we've had several light planes get in just fine."

I was faced with a dilemma. Here I was being told by the man that he wanted me to land on 6. Only thing was, Runway 29 was, as far as I could figure, a much safer bet.

"We'll still take two-niner," I informed him.

He grumbled a bit, but he did give me Runway 29. The ensuing landing was wild enough, without the 90-degree crosswind.

Granted, the stakes weren't huge in my case. I could have dinged a prop or bent the gear. Worse than that? Unlikely. But sometimes there's a lot at stake. Sometimes everything.

And I've only had to say "unable" a few times since, and I say it advisedly, but when I do, I feel good about it. It's a lesson that all pilots have to learn at some point.

Thank goodness Sully had it down cold.—By Robert Goyer

Here's the audio transcript the FAA released on Thursday.

Download N90 AWE1546 1-15-09 L116

Comments

[Carl C]

I was extremely impressed with Controllers land line communications and instant responses.

Kudos to all involved. Complete, instant and unequivocal assistance from the Ferry Captains to the Ferry passengers.

[Jodie Fearon]

I agree. The three basic rules I learned years ago when dealing with a crisis in flight are:

1. Aviate (fly the plane)
2. Navigate (figure out where you are and where you need to go)
3. Communicate (let everyone know what you are doing or simply call for help)

Sully did all three well or else he nor the other passengers and crew would not be here today.

Also, kudos to the rest of the flight crew too. I have not heard about any of them but they must have done their jobs well too.

[Mark Nevins]

I think Sully should be awarded an honourary seaplane rating and log 1549 a successful waterlanding in addition to his glider log.If he is reading this,I want him and Barry Schiff as my flight instructors!