Captain Sullenberger & crew testifies on Capitol Hill 2.24.09 & expresses his concerns

[match20045]

If flying is so safe, how come they call it "Terminal" at the airports ? The safest fliying possible is not to fly. I am in the mountains with my sheeps, up and down everyday to my safe place, I dont go 10 kms above the ground at 1000 kms an hour, that is not what man has been made for.

[greasemo12]

How many millions of dollars did the pilots union pay Mr. Sullenberger to read that speach? Come on, listen to it. Don't get me wrong, I think he is a hero and a damn good polot, but really... listen to that speach.

[murray2612]

@greasemo12 Yep, I listened to it, what's your point? My guess is he wasn't paid anything.

[MyCucuzza]

I do admire Sully's and his team's work in 1549 case. It is sad, however, he exploits the moment in the subcommitee for labor politics. It is easy to make solemn statements on safety and professionalism, and blame "revolving" airline management for holding purse strings. If customers don't pay more, where to dig the money for pilots' and others' salaries? I seldom hear new ideas, just problems and demands. We have to find deeper reasons. First should unhealthy structures be torn down.

[ChannelingusIV]

I have the solution. You know how they have deer whistles for cars? ..........Goose whistles for planes!! Yes that should do it.

[CaptianSullyFan]

2:29 - Captian Sully, "In aviation, the bottom line, is that the single most important piece of safety equipment, is an experienced, well trained pilot."

[xjcrossx]

Why can't they just put some chicken wire or something over the engine's outer edge to prevent birds from getting into that actual engine casing? The birds would die, but engines would remain running. ALSO.Why can't they put some camera's outside the airplane to give the pilots a view of what they can't see from inside the cockpit..many instances have been reported of a pilot not realizing which engine is on fire, or not running properly causing catostrophic accidents in which many people died

[Iamnottheyeti]

@xjcrossx you really think some flimsy piece of chicken wire is going to stop a bird.. you have to remember planes travel in excess of 150 knots when landing and taking off ( most risky period for bird strikes) chicken wire is not gona stop a 1 pound bird going 150 knots :) anything more thicker then chickenwire will be desruptive to the critical airflow that is needed to keep a turbine engine running. some of the best paid minds work in aircraft industry. believe me they have thought about it

[iloveyourstory]

It's amazing what financial trouble the airline industry is in. You can bet that once they install these highly invasive body scanners, they will surely go bankrupt. I'd rather travel by car or boat than to let them take a naked image of my body. Airport security has become a humiliating circus anyway. When is this economic nightmare ever going to end?

[alpha18412]

Hani Hanjour could'na done it better. Oh sorry, that was another subcomittee.

[moodyarts]

I am shocked by this! Surely the people going into this field are doing it for the love of flying because obviously they are being short-changed by their salaries!

[fosky075]

ur are wrong, there for u can say footballers go into football because of the salaries ?? no, to keep there role, must have a love of football, pilots ARE underpaid, research how much it is to even train to be a airline pilot !!!

[daytonaflyer]

This is too true! Most Americans don't realize that many airline pilots are paid less than fast food workers. Some of the co-pilots qualify for food stamps. The pilots of big airlines had their salaries cut 50-70% since 2001, many of the best are switching to other careers. Airline pilots are highly skilled labor who pay upwards of $150,000 for their training plus college. I've flown pro for 6 years, my current airplane holds 155 people and for the first time ever, I'll earn +$40,000/yr.

[mcgra8bc]

I paid $120,000 for my rating and a useless Embry-Riddle Aeronautical science degree. My first year I made $19,000 (before taxes) a year at American Eagle while paying $12,000 a year in student loan payments. I am so glad that I quit the profession and I am applying my skills to another profession. I was top of my class at both of my airlines and I am going back to school to get an AS in nursing because my BS in Aeronautical Science is so useless.

[rock3tcat]

@daytonaflyer

WHAT!?!?!?! You should think about crossing the Atlantic, pilots here are being paid top dollar.. I mean euro.

[chongkwang]

Captain Sullenberger is saving the quality of lives for all working Americans! I am so happy it is very clear that this American hero is a lifesaving working class union laborer not the greedy corporate executives whos focus is on destroying the quality of life for the working class and disregarding comfort and safety for the passengers all for personal profits. I await the day the public revolts against the first anti-labor right-winger who spews poisonous remarks against unionized Capt. Sully

[duck24x]

We need to go much further. A much more fundamental solution is required. It is mathematically impossible to solve any one problem - like a variable in a coupled system of equations - without solving all problems simultaneously. And that solution is: kill anyone who votes for Republicans and Democrats. Replace them with Greens, Socialists, Independents & Libertarians. NOTHING will ever improve until a heroic patriot does that.

[lucybrown12345]

And the Postmaster General who is "responsible" for delivering envelopes makes $800,000/year. THAT is inequality.

[readi343]

Sully is doing an amazing thing for the American public by fighting to keep highly skilled labor in the cockpits of the future.

Our children, grandchildren etc.. may owe their safety in the skies in part due to his efforts on this subject.

The way things are now, airline managers are trying to hire the cheapest pilots, with the most minimal training cost possible.