I've got some random thoughts about the US Airways plane that landed in the Hudson River.
1- Quick thinking. They didn't have much altitude to work with. They wanted to land on concrete but that wasn't an option.
2- Had it been a military craft the crew most certainly would have ejected. It was that kind of event. The entire effort was for human life.
3- The only omitted step was closing up the vents to allow the plane to float longer. Of course, closing the vents may have changed the attitude of the craft in the water. As it turned out, she floated fine with the vents open.
4- It amazes me that the wings didn't get ripped off. When that happens you end up sideways with holes in the fuselage.
5- She was carrying enough fuel to fly at least 600 miles.
6- Sullenberger's comments during the crisis were amazing. No sense of panic. All business. Clear-headed.
7- Talk about a perfect landing. The flight attendants didn't even realize they were in the water. And the position was perfect for the water taxis and Coast Guard to surround the plane.
8- A flight attendant stopped a passenger who wanted to open the air stairs, preventing a rather swift trip to the bottom of the Hudson, 50 feet deep at that point.
9- I can't imagine being a passenger and standing out on the wing, up to my knees in cold water. (Don't they have enough raft capacity for everyone?)
10- How many dopes wanted to go back inside for their I-pod in the seat pocket?
11- No one will ever hear this story and reply, "That's nothin', I once....."
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Actually the rafts are designed for "overflow capacity" which means people could hold onto the sides and take turns if need be. The note that the attendants didn't even realize they were landing in water was the one misstep that many people overlook since the results of the rescue were so great. They should have been given a heads up that it was a water landing so they would have never let the one passenger "crack open" the back door on the rightside. Water quickly entered at that time great reducing the the amount of time the aircraft would float. If they had landed in water at the end of their flight with less fuel that would have been critical. Fuel help keep the plane afloat.
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