From the news today:
“Air Force officials say that U.S. Airways pilot Chesley B. Sullenberger III, who landed the Airbus A-320 on the Hudson River recently, has a distinguished Air Force past and is a specialist on aircraft safety.
Among those who helped train Mr. Sullenberger during his time at the Air Force Academy was former Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and a number of other generals who were classmates in the 1973 graduating class.
One Air Force official, speaking on background, said Mr. Sullenberger’s Air Force background contributed to his ability to handle the midair crisis and crash landing on the Hudson after his jetliner hit a flock of birds that disabled its engines.
“He flew F-4’s, and a professional note might be that if you can land an F-4, aka ‘Brick,’ you are especially honed for today’s incident,” the official said.”
When ya can’t punch out, being a hero is the only option you’ve got. No canopy and two extended rails is the F-4 answer to the engine out glide-slope problem.
My husband was perplexed when, immediately in the wake of Sully’s amazing landing, I announced “He must have a military background.” “What’s that got to do with it?” asked my husband. Well, apparently I knew instinctively what you just spelled out above.