US Air Flight 1549: Miracle on the Hudson with ATC Annotations

FSM Cockpit view of US Air Flight 1549 landing in the Hudson River. On January 15, 2009 US Air Flight 1549 hit a flock of birds at about 3,000 feet while climbing out of LaGuardia Airport in New York City. Both engines were diabled, and the plane became a glider. Transcripts of communications released February 5 2009 were added to this video.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Miracle on the Hudson

[silverwings757]

Haha, i like the "don't sink" at the end, gives that automated alert a whole new meaning.

[Bobbysoxer2]

Hi Silverwings757

Yes, it surprised me too, but it fit so I left it in!  Thanks for noticing the "humor"

[everwhat998]

there's a video showing the flight path with Google maps and it appears to me that he could have just turned around and landed on the runway so why didn't he

[Bobbysoxer2]

Both of these simulations are with the engines out at about 3,000 feet. An aircraft will need to make a turn of about 225 degrees to go back to the airport, or two 180 degree turns to go back to the same runway. Lots of altitude is lost in the turn, and a 25% altitude safety factor is needed. Also must clear radio towers etc. MSA for LaGuardia is above 2000 ft. Start at 3,000, that leaves only 1,000 feet of usable sky. Glide ratio 20:1. The math is against it. Same for Teterboro option.

[everwhat998]

bobbysoxer2, or anyone else with a flight simulator, can you do the flight path of 1549 but this time try to steer it back to the airport and see if you could land there, I want to see if it's possible to turn back and land on a runway instead of the hudson...thanks...I will subscribe to you also

[Bobbysoxer2]

Everwhat 998

Thank you for the suggestion. I will give it a try. My understanding is that this was the first choice, but they did not have enough altitude to glide back to La Guardia. They then tried Teterboro, but also would run out of sky. Teterboro is the open area across the river as the plane glides west. If they came down in the city or in crowded North Jersey, the results would have been tragic including people on the ground.

[0racle0f0maha]

I never get tired of watching this, great job Sully !

[Chick6517]

A beautiful car that if I had hit while he made that turn would have sued for it and painted it red. :>)

[everwhat998]

ok thanks

[b09zi]

its not an emergency proceedure for the pilot to turn 180 degrees to land. there are traffic situated on the aerodrome so he what any pilot must do in this case is to find a suitable landing spot ahead. ditching it is 1 good idea as he did

[aelive]

because he wasn't high enough to make a u turn

[everwhat998]

bobby, are you able to simulate two broken engines in the air and see if you can steer back to the runway...that'd be really interesting to see if it's possible...I've never used a flight simulator so I don't know