Sully retires ...

[Moc1Sig]

"Hero Pilot Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger to Retire"

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,587841,00.html?test=latestnews

A bit early retirement, but then he hasn't worked/flown much since the incident.

My dad flew with Skiles a few times with in the last year and then saw Sully in the crew room a few months ago. He said he was surprised to see him back, mainly just cause they held roughly the same view about US Airways and that corporate BS. Pretty sure most were ready to say peace at 60, can't blame the guy.

 

[warface]

I guess that is what you could call the curse of the famous downed pilot. Many pilots, especially military-types, who became famous because of crashes became heroes in the public's eye yet were criticized by their peers--from Scott O'Grady to Mike Durant (criticized by COL David Hackworth) to David Williams in OIF. Yes, they were only well known because they were shot down. And then the Monday morning quarterbacks come out of the woodwork--well why was he flying there, why couldn't he limp it back to base, why did they land? And then comes the "well I would've done this if I was in that situation."

To those hindsight pilots who analyze a situation from the safety of their lounge chairs and are critical of the pilots I say "shut the F up already." I don't care what you "would've done" because for all we know you would've shat your pants and watched yourself die while you were locked-up on the controls waiting for the circuit breaker on your brain to be reset. Learn from their mistakes and try to not let history repeat itself in your case.

Most of the those critical pilots are simply jealous of the attention and wish that they could write a book and be in the spotlight. Personally, I'd rather be anonymous and never crash.

 

[slug]

Warface, very original and thought-provoking. Use R. Lee Ermey to make the point that you cannot make yourself. Good job expanding this conversation with an original thought.

Yeah, I'm a devil's advocate. But hey, if it wasn't for those a-holes in a regimented organization who piss people off and go against the common opinion, who would prevent groupthink?

Not you, I'm guessing.

 

[Mumbles]

Suprised nobody mentioned this guy...

He's porked up in Nebraska and is looking even douchier nowadays....

 

[exhelodrvr]

Suprised nobody mentioned this guy...

WHy isn't he wearing a helmet? Call the Safety Office!!

 

[Mumbles]

My thoughts exactly...he's not wearing proper PPE. He should have his DFC rescinded.

 

[Catmando]

My dad flew with Skiles a few times with in the last year and then saw Sully in the crew room a few months ago. He said he was surprised to see him back, mainly just cause they held roughly the same view about US Airways and that corporate BS. Pretty sure most were ready to say peace at 60, can't blame the guy.

True. I would have been out of there too. (And I was – medical). But many guys who originally wanted and planned to retire at 60, find they no longer can.

Reason (as you know): They all lost their retirement pension they were counting on in the last Chap. 11. (Not to mention a 50% pay cut too.) Without their retirement (except for pennies from the PBGC), much less income to save, and without a company medical for a few high-risk health years until Medicare kicks in, many cannot retire, even though they would desperately like to abandon that place. Sully and some others are lucky to have outside income. But the majority of their pilots are economically trapped.

 

[Brett327]

My thoughts exactly...he's not wearing proper PPE. He should have his DFC rescinded.

I guess you guys didn't see the part in the instruction where it waives the PPE requirements for those who have been designated as People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive."

Brett

 

[rondebmar]

True. I would have been out of there too. (And I was – medical). But many guys who originally wanted and planned to retire at 60, find they no longer can.

Reason (as you know): They all lost their retirement pension they were counting on in the last Chap. 11. (Not to mention a 50% pay cut too.) Without their retirement (except for pennies from the PBGC), much less income to save, and without a company medical for a few high-risk health years until Medicare kicks in, many cannot retire, even though they would desperately like to abandon that place. Sully and some others are lucky to have outside income. But the majority of their pilots are economically trapped.

Yeah...thank God for the PBGC...just about covers my tobacco bill...good thing I quit drinking years ago...couldn't do'em both now!!

 

[phrogpilot73]

As for Shane Osbourne, PSW will tell you that the decisions he made set us back 10 years.

 

[Flash]

As for Shane Osbourne, PSW will tell you that the decisions he made set us back 10 years.

Bullshit. To rekindle the old debate we have had on here several times I will repeat what I have said here and to everyone else that talks smack about that flight, nothing on that plane was worth anyone's life, period. Especially what was on that aircraft. How can I say that? I know better than anyone on this board what was on that plane, having flown in that squadron for over two years up to four months prior to the incident and actually reading the official damage report. His personality notwithstanding, he did what he needed to do when he needed to do it. Simple as that. If anyone didn't do what they needed maybe PSW should ask some of her colleagues......just sayin.

 

[A4sForever]

As for Shane Osbourne, PSW will tell you that the decisions he made set us back 10 years.

Roger that; but what's really 'strange' ... or mebbe not so 'strange' (now that we all see their political/agenda 'bent' based on their voluminous left-wing posts) ... is how some on this very board 'dismissed' what I said years ago about this very subject.

Shane Osbourne screwed the pooch. He did a shit job.

What I said was correct -- not that I personally knew anything (as I wasn't there ) ... but it was based on the input of first-hand participants and squadron mates of his.

Rock on. Some things just don't change ...

 

[phrogpilot73]

Bullshit. To rekindle the old debate we have had on here several times I will repeat what I have said here and to everyone else that talks smack about that flight, nothing on that plane was worth anyone's life, period. Especially what was on that aircraft. How can I say that? I know better than anyone on this board what was on that plane, having flown in that squadron for over two years up to four months prior to the incident and actually reading the official damage report. His personality notwithstanding, he did what he needed to do when he needed to do it. Simple as that. If anyone didn't do what they needed maybe PSW should ask some of her colleagues......just sayin.

No, not bullshit. I'm with PSW on this one. You fly a national asset, you have to be prepared to give your life to defend it - no different than defending nukes. You think a pilot would land on Hainan with nukes on board? Or would he ditch?

As for your "measuring contest" that you're trying to engage in - PSW is WELL aware of what was onboard/what was being done, seeing as she was read into that compartment at the time. Just because you're all source/have been in the squadron doesn't mean you know everything. Guess what - "her colleagues" started the destruction process. Why? Because an Aircraft Commander made a decision to land in Communist China. Did they finish? No. Why? Because they were expecting to ditch, not to land in a hostile, foreign country.

I've tried to defend his decision to her "colleagues", some of whom are former EP-3 NFOs. All of whom have told me I'm full of shit. But Flash says so, so therefore...

 

[Flash]

Roger that; but what's really 'strange' ... or mebbe not so 'strange' (now that we all see their political/agenda 'bent' based on their voluminous left-wing posts) ... is how some on this very board 'dismissed' what I said years ago about this very subject.

Shane Osbourne screwed the pooch. He did a shit job.

What I said was correct -- not that I personally knew anything (as I wasn't there ) ... but it was based on the input of first-hand participants and squadron mates of his.

Rock on. Some things just don't change ...

Like how you are still wrong?

Instead of hashing this out yet again all the guys who weren't here 5 years ago can refer to this thread. Nothing, at all, has since changed what I said in that thread. I talked to many of the guys in the crew and have great knowledges on what happened, figure that I am actually 'in the know', and Shane did what was right. If I have any doubts I can walk down the hall and ask the guy who compiled and briefed the damage report, pick up the phone and call a few buddies from the squadron or just talk it over while downing a few spirits with them. Almost unanimously, we think the crew did what was right.

 

[A4sForever]

...words ...

I'm not gonna give you neg-rep, Flash ... cause I think you're better than that.

But, really, Flash ... did you think I was talkin' about YOU??? You're not gonna' make it to old age w/ the extreme insecurity and paranoia that you possess and display at every opportunity.

But even if you think yourself 'right' ... no one listens to your screed on this board other than the 5-6 lapdogs that march to the beat of your drum. That alone should tell a thinking person something ...

We always have to deal w/ the ol' 5%, don't we ... and we all know the score. And your score is zed ... eh???

*edit* ... how did a thread on 'Sully' get twisted into a Flash pontification ... ?? Especially when Flash and some others know jack-shit about the airlines and what goes down there ... ???