US Airways Airbus A320 crash lands into Hudson river

[August]

Originally Posted by Enigma

That is very difficult to believe. After all Mt Everest is only 29000 feet high. How could a bird with their high metabolism survive 8 thousand feet higher than that?

[A Very Super Market]

Perhaps he meant meters...No wait, that makes no sense.

Birds cannot survive that far up. Humans can barely survive Everest with no oxygen, and this is 1000 feet higher than that.

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by SteamWake

All pax and crew survived.

Pilot deserves a medal !

Presidential Medal of Freedom, now. Like, yesterday now...

He certainly won't have any trouble getting someone to buy him a drink in New York tonight....maybe ever.

[Enigma]

That is very difficult to believe.

Birds cannot survive that far up.

au contraire!

Crazy, I know. But there it is. (That data come from the Bird strike Committee USA, and is backed up by the FAA. 'Twas apparently, a pesky African vulture. I've read somewhere of a bird strike in NV of some 20+ thousand feet, too.).

http://www.birdstrike.org/birds.htm

Here is an FAA report I found, reporting a bird strike at FL360. (36'000)

11/03/2005 2325 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO UPS28 B757 I UNKN 0 ACFT, UPS28, A B757, ENROUTE FROM SDF TO MHR, STRUCK A GOOSE AT FL360. ACFT DESCENDED TO FL280, DUE TO THE WINDSHIELD BEING CRACKED AND CONTINUED ON TO DESTINATION. PILOT DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. OVER COLORADO SPRINGS, CO

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by August

That is very difficult to believe. After all Mt Everest is only 29000 feet high. How could a bird with their high metabolism survive 8 thousand feet higher than that?

Geese can get pretty high up too last I heard.

Found something on it:

Birds are capable of flying at much higher altitudes. Bar-headed Geese are known to cross the Himalayas at 29,500 feet (9,000 m). The world record holder is a Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture seen at 37,000 feet (11,300 m.) A Mallard, which struck an airplane at 21,000 feet (6,400 m), holds the record for the highest documented flight altitude for a bird in North America.

[August]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

Geese can get pretty high up too last I heard.

Found something on it:

Birds are capable of flying at much higher altitudes. Bar-headed Geese are known to cross the Himalayas at 29,500 feet (9,000 m). The world record holder is a Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture seen at 37,000 feet (11,300 m.) A Mallard, which struck an airplane at 21,000 feet (6,400 m), holds the record for the highest documented flight altitude for a bird in North America.

Hmmm, seems like there is a 16kft discrepancy here.

[Monica Lewinsky]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Bloody good job from the pilot, I hope he gets some kind of reward for that landing. Doubt it could have been done any better under the circumstances.

Amen!

The guy should be adored as a REAL hero. Seems lately since 2001 we have too many of them [heros] with this guy EXCLUDED.

He is indeed a TRUE hero to 150+ people that were there or in that plane/jet and in our eyes should be a super HERO.

Also, the unnamed ultra heros are the New York and New Jersey Port Authority ships that responded in less than 4 minutes dumping tons of life preservers in the water.

True Miracle, No one died. Never thought it was possible with a jet doing a water landing. Made me jump and down with joy - nice to see some good news for a change - warm fuzzies all over over some good news ........ feels GOOD .

Something tells me all them people in that plane are going to church Sunday - And ... there is NOTHING wrong with that!

Going to Church now and then never hurt/or killed ANYBODY!

I sure hope 2009 has MORE news stories like this one.

[Enigma]

Hmmm, seems like there is a 16kft discrepancy here.

Key words. "In North America".

[Enigma]

Never thought it was possible with a jet doing a water landing.

You thought "In the unlikely event of a water landing" was just lip service?

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by Enigma

Key words. "In North America".

But reports from anywhere else are always suspect! :p

-S

[Enigma]

Well, not too suspect for the Bird Strike Committee, whose board seats FAA officials, but its OK, I don't see to much cause for arguing about it.

The Pilot if this aircraft saved 155 lives today. Lets keep our eyes on the ball...

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by Enigma

Well, not too suspect for the Bird Strike Committee, whose board seats FAA officials, but its OK, I don't see to much cause for arguing about it.

The Pilot if this aircraft saved 155 lives today. Lets keep our eyes on the ball...

Man, you know I was just stirring the pot for you! Tell me I didn't make you smirk?

-S

[Kapt Z]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Yeah, just read this. Completely amazed the aircraft was in one piece along with all the passengers to boot

I don't know the whole story yet, but I was amazed as well as to how intact the airframe was. I've seen videos photos of airliner ditchings and most of the time the plane is ripped apart by the impact.

Hope the pilot's getting a bonus this year! I think if I was a passenger he would be getting a Christmas present every year for the rest of his life.

[TarJak]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/how...608949558.html

He did very well. I like the quote "if you ditch... you die"

[A Very Super Market]

I've been proved wrong so many times, let's try this again. :P

Aircraft don't neccesarily destroy themselves on landing. This guy managed to control his descent, which prevented him from smashing the plane into the river. The fuselage of a plane is designed to withstand landing speed impact and scraping, as seen in the case of the Gimli Glider. Ditching isn't exceedingly dangerous, because you at least know that you want to crash. Fatal obliteration usually happen because the pilots have either completely lost control or are blindsided.

Now who wants to embarrass me this time ?:p