Chesley Sullenberger Chesley Burnett " Sully " Sullenberger , III ( born January 23 , 1951 ) is a retired airline captain , aviation safety expert and accident investigator , best - selling author , speaker and consultant . Sullenberger gained fame when he successfully executed an emergency water landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan , New York City , after the aircraft had been disabled by striking a flock of Canada geese during its initial climb out of LaGuardia Airport on January 15 , 2009 . All of the 155 passengers and crew aboard the aircraft survived . Sullenberger is an international speaker on airline safety and has helped develop new protocols for airline safety . Sullenberger served as the co - chairman of the EAA ' s Young Eagles youth introduction - to - aviation program from 2009 to 2013 . Sullenberger retired from US Airways after 30 years as a commercial pilot on March 3 , 2010 . In May of the following year , Sullenberger was hired by CBS News as a News Aviation and Safety Expert . He is the author of the New York Times best - seller " Highest Duty " , a memoir of his life and of the events surrounding Flight 1549 , published in 2009 by HarperCollins . His second book , " Making a Difference : Stories of Vision and Courage from America ' s Leaders " , was published in May 2012 . He was ranked second in " Time magazine " s " Top 100 Most Influential Heroes and Icons of 2009 " . Early life . Sullenberger was born in Denison , Texas , to a dentist father — a descendant of Swiss immigrants named " Sollenberger " — and an elementary school teacher mother . He has one sister , Mary Wilson . The street on which he grew up in Denison was named after his mother ' s family , the Hannas . According to his sister , Sullenberger built model planes and aircraft carriers during his childhood , and says he became interested in flying after seeing military jets from a nearby Air Force base from his house . He went to school in Denison , and was consistently in the 99th percentile in every academic category . At the age of 12 , his IQ was deemed high enough to join Mensa International . In high school , he was the president of the Latin club , a first chair flautist , and an honor student . His high - school friends have said that Sullenberger developed a passion for flying from watching jets based out of Perrin Air Force Base . He was an active member of the Waples Memorial United Methodist Church in Denison , and graduated from Denison High School in 1969 near the top of his class of about 350 . At 16 , Sullenberger learned to fly in an Aeronca 7DC from a private airstrip near his home . He said the training he received from a local flight instructor set the base for his aviation career for the rest of his life . In addition to his Bachelor of Science from the U . S . Air Force Academy , Sullenberger also holds a Master ' s Degree in Industrial Psychology from Purdue University and a master ' s degree in Public Administration from the University of Northern Colorado . Military Service . Sullenberger enrolled at the United States Air Force Academy in 1969 . He was selected as one of around a dozen other freshmen for a cadet glider program , and by the end of that year , he was an instructor pilot . In the year of his graduation , 1973 , he received the Outstanding Cadet in Airmanship award , as the class " top flyer " . Following graduation with a Bachelor of Science and his commissioning as an officer , the Air Force immediately sent Sullenberger to Purdue University . Sullenberger served as a fighter pilot for the United States Air Force , piloting McDonnell Douglas F - 4 Phantom II s from 1975 to 1980 . He advanced to become a flight leader and a training officer , and attained the rank of captain , with experience in Europe , the Pacific , and at Nellis Air Force Base , as well as operating as Blue Force Mission Commander in Red Flag Exercises . While in the Air Force , he was a member of an aircraft accident investigation board . Aviation career . Sullenberger was employed by US Airways or its predecessor airlines from 1980 until 2010 . ( Pacific Southwest Airlines was acquired by US Air , later US Airways , in 1988 . ) In total , he has more than 40 years and 20 , 000 hours of flying experience . In 2007 he became the founder and CEO of Safety Reliability Methods , Inc . ( SRM ) , a management , safety , performance , and reliability consulting firm . SRM provides strategic and tactical guidance to enhance organizational safety , performance , and reliability . He has also been involved in a number of accident investigations conducted by the USAF and the National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB ) , such as Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771 and USAir Flight 1493 . He served as an instructor , Air Line Pilots Association Local Air Safety Chairman , accident investigator , and national technical committee member . His safety work for ALPA led to the development of a Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular . He was instrumental in developing and implementing the Crew Resource Management course that is used by US Airways , and he has taught the course to hundreds of airline crew members Working with NASA scientists , he coauthored a paper on error - inducing contexts in aviation . He was an air accident investigator for a NTSB inquiry into a major accident at Los Angeles International Airport , which " led to improved airline procedures and training for emergency evacuations of aircraft " . Sullenberger has also been studying the psychology behind keeping an airline crew functioning during a crisis . He holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate for single and multi - engine airplanes , and a Commercial Pilot Certificate rating in gliders , as well as an expired flight instructor certificate for airplanes ( single , multi - engine , and instrument ) , and gliders . Sullenberger was active with his union , serving as chairman of a safety committee within the Air Line Pilots Association . Flight 1549 . On January 15 , 2009 , Sullenberger was pilot in command of an Airbus A320 from New York ' s LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte / Douglas International Airport in Charlotte , North Carolina . The flight was designated as US Airways Flight 1549 as well as United Airlines Flight 1919 . Shortly after taking off , Sullenberger reported to air traffic control that the plane had hit a large flock of birds , disabling both engines . Several passengers saw the left engine on fire . Sullenberger discussed with air traffic control the possibilities of either returning to LaGuardia airport or attempting to land at the Teterboro Airport in New Jersey . However , Sullenberger quickly decided that neither was feasible , and determined that ditching in the Hudson River was the only option for everyone ' s survival . Sullenberger told the passengers to " brace for impact , " then piloted the plane to a water landing in the Hudson River at about 3 : 31 p . m . All passengers and crew members survived . He later said , " It was very quiet as we worked , my co - pilot and I . We were a team . But to have zero thrust coming out of those engines was shocking — the silence . " Sullenberger walked the unflooded part of the passenger cabin twice to make sure everyone had evacuated before retrieving the plane ' s maintenance logbook and being the last to evacuate the aircraft . Sullenberger , described by friends as " shy and reticent , " has been noted for his poise and calm demeanor during the crisis . New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg , for example , dubbed him " Captain Cool . " However , Sullenberger acknowledged that he had suffered some symptoms of post - traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ) for the first couple of weeks following the crash , including sleeplessness and flashbacks , though this condition had improved by the time of his late February 2009 interview with " People " . In a CBS " 60 Minutes " interview , he was quoted as saying that the moments before the crash were " the worst sickening , pit - of - your - stomach , falling - through - the - floor feeling " that he had ever experienced . Speaking with news anchor Katie Couric , Sullenberger said : " One way of looking at this might be that for 42 years , I ' ve been making small , regular deposits in this bank of experience , education and training . And on January 15 the balance was sufficient so that I could make a very large withdrawal . " Post - flight accolades and publicity . U . S . President George W . Bush called Sullenberger to thank him for saving the lives of the passengers , as did President - elect Barack Obama who also invited him , as well as the entire crew , to join the presidential inauguration ceremony . On January 16 , 2009 , the United States Senate passed a resolution to recognize and honor Sullenberger , co - pilot Jeff Skiles , the cabin crew , the passengers , and the first responders involved in Flight 1549 ' s emergency landing . The United States House of Representatives passed a similar resolution of praise on January 26 , 2009 . Sullenberger attended the presidential inauguration on January 20 , 2009 , where he and his wife met President Obama . On January 22 , 2009 , he and the rest of the crew of Flight 1549 were awarded a Masters Medal by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators . A ceremony for Sullenberger was held on January 24 , 2009 , in his hometown of Danville , California , where he was presented with awards including Danville ' s " Key to the Town " , and was named an honorary Danville police officer . San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District Chief Richard Price presented Captain Sullenberger with his district ' s highest award , the Medal of Valor , which has been given only a few times in the district ' s history . Sullenberger , Skiles , and Flight 1549 ' s cabin crew , Doreen Welsh , Sheila Dail and Donna Dent , were honored with a standing ovation during the title = Super ovation for ' Sully ' , US Airways crew | publisher = [ [ NBC Sports | agency = Associated Press | date = February 1 , 2009 | url = http : / / nbcsports . msnbc . com / id / 28967586 / | accessdate = 2009 - 02 - 01 } } < / ref > Sullenberger was awarded with honorary lifetime membership in The [ [ Seaplane ] ] Pilot ' s Association . Admirers of Sullenberger also started a Facebook fan site that , as of late February 2009 , had half a million members . A few weeks after the crash , it was revealed that Sullenberger had left a library book titled " Just Culture : Balancing Safety and Accountability " in his luggage in the cockpit . Ironically , Sullenberger had been reading about establishing an effective safety culture by balancing accountability with learning . When Sullenberger telephoned the library to notify them that the water - damaged book had been recovered , it waived the usual late fees . New York City Mayor Bloomberg replaced the book when presenting Sullenberger with the [ [ keys to the city | Key to the City of New York ] ] . Sullenberger threw out the [ [ First Pitch | first pitch ] ] of the 2009 Major League Baseball season for the San Francisco Giants . His Giants ' jersey was inscribed with the name " Sully " and the number 155 - a reference to the 155 people aboard the plane . On June 6 , 2009 , Sullenberger returned to his childhood hometown of Denison , Texas , to participate in that town ' s [ [ D - Day ] ] celebration , and to give the commencement address for his alma mater , Denison High School , marking the 40th anniversary of his own graduation from the school . Sullenberger also made an appearance in St . Louis , Missouri , on July 14 , 2009 , to participate in the Red Carpet All - Star Parade that took place before the 2009 Major League Baseball All - Star Game . Sullenberger testified before the U . S . House of Representatives ' s Subcommittee on Aviation of the Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure on February 24 , 2009 , that his salary had been cut by 40 percent , and that his pension , like most airline pensions , was terminated and replaced by a " [ [ PBGC ] ] " guarantee worth only pennies on the dollar . Sullenberger also mentioned his pay cut in an October 13 , 2009 appearance on " [ [ The Daily Show ] ] " . Sullenberger retired from US Airways and its predecessor airline after 30 years with them on March 3 , 2010 . He indicated , however , that his advocacy for aviation safety and the piloting profession would continue . In 2009 , Sullenberger filmed a TV commercial as a spokesman for [ [ St . Jude Children ' s Research Hospital ] ] . Sullenberger flew to the Charlotte , North Carolina , museum where the plane is located on November 18 , 2011 , as part of a fund - raising effort , entering the plane for the first time since the incident . Chesley Sullenberger was selected as the 2010 [ [ Tournament of Roses Parade ] ] ' s [ [ Grand Marshal ] ] , an honor which was announced on Thursday , November 5 , 2009 , in Pasadena , California , at the [ [ Pasadena Tournament of Roses # Tournament House | Tournament House ] ] . In 2009 , Sullenberger was awarded the Founders ' Medal by [ [ The Air League ] ] . [ [ File : Sullenberger Sydney . JPG | thumb | Chesley B . Sullenberger at the LIONS World Convention 2010 ( Sydney ) ] ] In December 2010 , Sullenberger was appointed an Officer of the [ [ Legion of Honour ] ] . Post - flight career . He was a featured speaker for two panels , one on aviation and one on patient safety in medicine , at the High Reliability Organizations ( HRO ) 2007 International Conference in [ [ Deauville , France ] ] , from May 29 to 31 , 2007 . Sullenberger authored a [ [ New York Times Best Seller list | New York Times Best - Selling ] ] book titled " [ [ Highest Duty : My Search for What Really Matters ] ] " . It is a memoir of his life of preparation for the challenge he faced during Flight 1549 . Co - author [ [ Jeffrey Zaslow ] ] died on February 10 , 2012 , in an automobile crash while promoting a different book . Sullenberger delivered a eulogy at his memorial service on February 13 . Sullenberger wrote a second book about leadership titled " Making a Difference : Stories of Vision and Courage from America ' s Leaders " , which was released on May 15 , 2012 . CBS News hired Sullenberger as a News Aviation and Safety Expert . He is on the editorial board of the " Journal of Patient Safety " . He was featured in the 2012 Discovery Channel film " Surfing the Healthcare Tsunami : Bring Your Best Board " . Personal life . Sullenberger is married to fitness expert and television personality Lorraine " Lorrie " Sullenberger , with whom he has two adopted daughters , Kate and Kelly . The Sullenbergers reside in [ [ Danville , California ] ] . Sullenberger is a registered Republican . In October 2009 , it was reported that the Republican Party had approached Sullenberger about running for [ [ Jerry McNerney ] ] ' s seat in the U . S . House of Representatives . Sullenberger ' s publicist said that Sullenberger had no desire to run for any public office . In popular culture . Humorist and radio personality [ [ Garrison Keillor ] ] wrote " Pilot Song : The Ballad of Chesley Sullenberger III " for the January 17 , 2009 , edition of the variety show " [ [ A Prairie Home Companion ] ] " . The 2011 song " A Real Hero " by [ [ College ( musical project ) | College ] ] and Electric Youth , featured in the 2011 film " Drive " , was written about Sullenberger and Flight 1549 ; It contains the lyrics " " A pilot on a cold , cold morn ' . One hundred fifty - five people on board . All safe and all rescued . . . " " . Sullenberger is repeatedly referenced in the 2011 feature film romantic comedy " Friends with Benefits " . Throughout the film , [ [ Justin Timberlake ] ] ' s character , a Los Angeles transplant living in New York City , repeatedly suggests to people , while flying between the two locations , that modern airplanes practically fly themselves , and that Sullenberger ' s feat is less notable than it is portrayed to be , only to encounter incredulity and hostility for this idea . In addition , [ [ Mila Kunis ] ] ' s character is seen reading Sullenberger ' s [ [ Wikipedia ] ] article , as well as having a brief cameo as a security guard on a building roof . An animated version of Sullenberger appeared in " The Unbrave One , " the January 8 , 2012 , episode of the animated TV show " [ [ American Dad ! ] ] " Sullenberger is referenced in " The Hero , " an August 2011 episode of " [ [ Curb Your Enthusiasm ] ] " . Wags named a [ [ cocktail ] ] in Sullenberger ' s honor . A " Sully " consists of two shots of [ [ Grey Goose ( vodka ) | Grey Goose ] ] vodka and a splash of water . External links . [ [ Category : 1951 births ] ] [ [ Category : Living people ] ] [ [ Category : American people of Swiss descent ] ] [ [ Category : American aviators ] ] [ [ Category : Aviators from Texas ] ] [ [ Category : California Republicans ] ] [ [ Category : US Airways ] ] [ [ Category : People from Contra Costa County , California ] ] [ [ Category : People from Denison , Texas ] ] [ [ Category : Purdue University alumni ] ] [ [ Category : Survivors of aviation accidents or incidents ] ] [ [ Category : United States Air Force Academy alumni ] ] [ [ Category : University of Northern Colorado alumni ] ] [ [ Category : United Methodists ] ] [ [ Category : People from Danville , California ] ]