After what the Federal government did to Canadian, you couldn't pay me enough to get on an Air Canada flight.

I've heard many people on many other blogs despise airline pilots for their relatively high salaries. If the early reports are correct, this pilot not only saved the lives of 140+ passengers, he prevented millions of dollars of damage and untold number of lost lives if he had crashed on land.

Somehow, $200k a year doesn't seem a lot to pay for this level of coolheadnesses and bravery, does it?

Air Canada motto:

"We're not happy until you're not happy"

$200k is nothing for what those guys and gals do.

On the other hand, they control one airplane, while us guys in the tower juggle 10 at a time...

Could have come out of that dry. Amazing. You can train to be calm, you can tell yourself be cool but that was something else. What if that puppy leaked in that wind and cold? A few cracks and a much different ending.

WCBSTV's coverage on its website http://wcbstv.com/breakingnewsalerts/us.airways.crash.2.909535.html features this brilliant observation, "Temperatures at the time of the crash in the city were just about 20 degrees, with the water temperature likely much colder." And the media wonder why we don't pay any attention to their blatherings anymore.

They're blaming it on a bird strike. Probably some geese that couldn't handle the cold weather in Ontario.

Hah! Jon Stewart last week made fun of Canada, saying if we tried to bomb the US, we'd have to stand at the border and throw them.

We have millions of geese. Millions, do you hear? What can all your jets do against our fearless honkers?!

jimkenn- It's salt water. It doesn't freeze til around 0 F. I'm not sure how far you'd have to go up the Hudson to hit fresh water. Anybody know?

OT!!!
Just noticed "It's official" re: weblog awards...Woo Hoo!! all over again!!

I've gathered a plethora of info and posted it here.

Absolutely unbelievable that everyone is okay!

I love how the news media likes to use sensational headlines.

Headline News channel 26 here in the Comox Valley, has a headline. "Plane slams into frigid Hudson River" Although the landing was very likely rougher than a conventional runway landing, I would suggest that if it had slammed into the river, the plane would have broken up on impact. The mere fact that the plane is intact suggests that it was a textbook ditching where everything went right and everyone got off alive. But those facts don't draw attention like an inflammatory and misleading headline. Sounds like the pilots and cabin crew are up for medals for this. It's nice to see some good news for once.

mid island mike

dp,

Sorry, but even if the "river" at that point had the same salinity as the Atlantic Ocean (3.5% + or -), the freezing temperature would go from 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit)to -2 degrees Celsius (28.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

If the water temperature had been really been "much colder" than the 20 degree Fahrenheit air temperature, the plane might really have "slammed into the frigid (frozen)Hudson River. Textbook water landing and evacuation; congratulations to the crew and the rescue teams.

short flight, light fuel load means the tanks become flotation bladders.

dp...
The Hudson River estuary is tidally influenced from the Battery to the federal dam at Troy.
Obviously that's an oversimplified answer, but the Hudson is a complicated system that requires more explanation than is possible in this forum.
Click on my name for a link.

Quite a few years ago, I decided, as a former pilot, not to fly USAir ever again.

IMO, 5 crashes in 5 years was more than just bad luck.

Glad I made that decision.

I never would have believed that a commercial airliner could hit the water, remain intact and have people stroll out on the wings to be picked up. Feeling a bit safer about water landings now.

I'm not sure how far you'd have to go up the Hudson to hit fresh water. Anybody know?

The Hudson? Like, Albany or so. But mostly you can walk on it that far.

But good on the crew. It looks like they did a wonderful job, as did the ferry crews, and divers, who were all there almost immediately. The only really strange thing so far - with about 7 million cell phones within a stones throw, there's no video yet of the actual crash?

Flock of Canada geese being blamed.

Watch for Mayor Bloomberg to ban feeding geese in Central Park. And he may have a point this time, because they would have been in Florida by now, or wherever, but idiots feed them.

I'm from Toronto, ask me ALL about it...

The flight status info now appearing is very odd. It shows it landing in North Carolina.

While I wouldn't expect them to say "It Crashed", why would it show up like this?

Perhaps an Airline-savvy SDA reader can fill us in!

Early speculation is that birds brought down the plane. My bet is that Mike Harris shot it down with a missile.

And Canadian Press online provided this headline:

"US Airways plane cashes into Hudson River in New York; all aboard escape"

See they always blame Canada for EVERYTHING!

Yea right, not Mexican geese or Muslim geese but Canada geese.

Where are the 9/11 truthers now? Where is Dezznuts??

The next thing you know, they’ll be saying the Israelis specially bred the “Canadian” geese in a little Brooklyn Jewish synagogue to commit suicide on American planes. This of course would lead Americans to think that Muslim Jihadies living in Canada were training the birds, which would lead to an all out attack on Saudi Arabia, for their oil.....right Dezz?

"Textbook water landing and evacuation; congratulations to the crew and the rescue teams."

And don't forget the self-loading cargo. The flight crew are screwed if the passengers all turn into screaming hysterics, but these folks clearly kept their cool.

"Flock of Canada geese being blamed"

Ignatieff announces National Goose Registry.

Wow, so glad to hear that all escaped, credit the pilot and co., seriously to landed a plane in one piece in water like that- that's a 'wow' one, not just lucky, but likely with considerable skill, credit is due certainly for the crew and the passengers too.

Canadian geese eh?
These are big birds - striking one is not good, let alone a flock. Nice to hear a great ending here.

Self-loading cargo... I like that. What I don't like are news anchors (and yes even at FOX) that don't know squat about aviation, Hudson River, rescue scenarios or anything else but babble on ad nauseam to fill up airtime. I guess they all have stayed at the Holiday Inn Express at one time or another.

One hastily grabbed "expert" had his private pilots license and declared that jet engines are made to withstand a bird strike because they fire a frozen turkey at them and see if they still run.

A big Bravo Zulu to pilots, crew and cargo for a job well done.

Lenny
It was probably a missle he bought with all the money he got from closing down all those schools and laying off nurses.Man, I havent heard that guy's name in a while.I'm surprised some of those highly educated progressives that comment at the Star haven't made that connection yet.

I have often wondered why jet aircraft are not equipped with some sort of "grid" in front of the engine intake that would prevent larger birds from being sucked into the intake and ruining the engine.

But then again. I am not an aeronautical engineer, so I guess there must be a good reason.

Oh and Kate, I didn't congratulate you prior to the win being verified so as not to jinx anything, but now that it is official...CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Now that we know all are safe, it is safe to make some lame comments here...I'm wondering what PETA will say about the poor geese.

And Kathy, I've always suggested getting hunters set up at High Park (maybe even Downsview) to get a few geese. It would serve many purposes:
-Feed the homeless
-Reduce the fecal count in Grenadier Pond, and and Lake Ontario
-free 'in the park' entertainment,as well as an Ex style demo on firearms
-cleaner sidewalks, and shoes
-make flying safer
-cheaper than loading them in overheated trucks and suffocating them, then having to 'dispose of them'

What do think Miller and gang would say?

Hugh Hewitt reading an 1982 TIME essay The Man In The Water, about a similar incident and its anonymous hero, who gave his life to save others.

Very moving. Will be at his audio archives later but is online.
www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,925257-1,00.html

I hope Roger Rosenblatt won a Pulitzer

I expect to hear an announcement from PETA denouncing the claim that there were no fatalities (surely some geese died).

Harper needs to write a strongly worded letter to the US about how they are treating our geese.

So how did these Canada Geese get in without a passport? Where was homeland security? Ummmmmmmm.....bar-b-qu'd goose...yum.

Sort of a sidenote, but the geese population really is much too high. All the efforts of sporting groups like Ducks Unlimited has had a slightly damaging result, just ask a prairie farmer.

So we can expect Jon Stewart to take pot shots at us over the allegation that the geese were Canadian.

I always get a thrill when we get mentioned on his show. It's nice to be noticed. Usually the Mercans ignore us. Hard on our self esteem.

"If the water temperature had been really been "much colder" than the 20 degree Fahrenheit air temperature, the plane might really have "slammed into the frigid (frozen)Hudson River" -- Jimkenn

So does the Hudson ever freeze over?
Anyway, it is a known that still water(ponds. lakes) will freeze well before moving water(rushing rivers)

The Gimli Glider(air canada flight)
Dead stick landing,fuel conversion to metrics got in the way if i remember correctly.
google is your friend

That's not an Aeroplane; that's a Hydroplane.

Not very deep there, that river, just deep enough to cushion the blow.

Maybe a tip to airport designers everywhere.

dp at January 15, 2009 4:39 PM

Zero Farhenheit is no big deal. But it freezes at a higher temp than that.

But the plane crashed in the RIVER. Doesn't that make it fresh, or is it tidal at that point?

RW- Yes it's tidal for quite a stretch. I don't know what temperature seawater will freeze in a glass, but the rule of thumb in a harbour is 0 fahrenheit. Much the same temp. where road salt quits working.

Anyway, they're saying now that the water temp. was 32 F. That's pretty damn cold for a bath.

Years ago, we took our kids to the Statue of Liberty when we were visiting friends in NYC. We took a picnic which we soon decided not to have in the park at the statue's base. The reason? Canada geese everywhere, the whole park littered with "green cigars" (aka goose poop).

And, were they aggressive. As soon as we took out the first of the food they were trying to get it. I'm not fond of Canada geese and after this episode with USAir, I don't care what PETA thinks: GET. RID. OF. THEM. ALL.

Time to start ringing all the airports with duck hunters!

blueteach

Frankly, I'd rather feed the homeless to the geese.

Of course.Kathy! I should have known!
PETA must be proud of you! ;)

It's ...'tech'

There's already a birdman on every major airport, Edward.

First, they fire off a bear banger or two to see if that scatters them. If that fails, well... let's just say that there's twice-a-week pickup at the dumpster behind the maintenance garage.

Gulls are the worst, but also the easiest. Incredibly tough to scare off, but if you are forced to go to the 12-gauge, you wound one, and the rest flock around waiting for it to die. Then, you simply bang away until the air is clear.

PETA would flip out, but it keeps things like this from happening a lot more often.

pacemakerdoug- I seem to recall the Gimli pilot was also an accomplished glider pilot. He knew about the old airstrip because of that.

Yes, it was a conversion error that left the fuel tanks empty.

Looks like an escape from Cuba scenario.

Escape from Cuba

Gimli Glider and don't forget Air Transat Flight 236. Fuel leak and a dead stick landing in the Azores.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Transat_Flight_236

Gimli Glider has finally been retired.

http://mojaveskies.blogspot.com/2008/06/ode-to-gimli-glider.html

As for this plane, don't be surprised if it ends up sitting beside the Gimli Glider in the near future.

Dear Mr. Teach...so you won't fly Air Canada because of what the federal government[liberals at the time]did to Canadian?How's that Air Canada's fault?

robp
thanks for that link,some very skilled crews out there for sure.
Our neighbour used to be a crop duster,i didnt know airplanes could do those things.
Snow birds out of moosejaw are beautiful to watch.

OMG, how long till the lefttards start commenting about the relationship of the elected Obamamessia and the fact that no one died?

I'll be a loonie it's before the weekend.

American Airways shares have taken a jump on the NY exchange.

I love how Americans can turn a near tragedy into something positive. That attitude makes me feel a little better about our chances of surviving this economic crisis.

If the water was at 20F the pilot could have made a wheels-down (if scary on ice) landing and taxied back to the airport.

"I never would have believed that a commercial airliner could hit the water, remain intact and have people stroll out on the wings to be picked up."

This whole thing was faked by the Bush administration. There's no way that a plane can land on water and then have its occupants be photographed standing on the wings awaiting rescue. It's obviously Bush's last attempt to look like a "good guy" before he is forced to get out of the office he has so evilly occupied for the past 8 years.

Sorry, I've been ill for the past week.