Miracles

You’ve undoubtedly seen and read a lot about the wonderful outcome of what could have been an epic disaster on the Hudson River yesterday. USAirways Flight 1549 bound for Charlotte from LaGuardia encountered a flock of birds minutes into the flight and lost both engines. Captain Chesley (“Sully”) Sullenberger III had about a minute to decide how to act to save the lives of 154 souls and himself. Summoning all the skills and training and experience he had over twelve years in the U.S. Air Force and 28 years at USAirways, he ditched the aircraft in the Hudson, led the controlled evacuation of the plane, and checked the craft twice before becoming the last to abandon his ship.

What a miracle. We ought to expect and be grateful for them when they come.

My gratefulness extends to Sully himself, of course. Read his bio today. You’ll be inspired. http://www.techbanyan.com/3277/chesley-b-sully-sullenberger/

Let’s also be grateful for Sully’s parents, for they must have raised a great kid.

Our gratefulness should include his mentors at the Air Force Academy, and Purdue University, who took their responsibilities seriously to train him to eventually fly the F-15 for the Air Force in the 1970’s. 

I’m grateful also for all the training personnel in the military and at USAir who put Sully and many others through mandatory flight simulations, which included the frequent simulation of the rare occurrence of  ditching an aircraft in water.

I’m grateful for the French engineers and assembly personnel of the Airbus 320 who took pride in their work to build an airframe capable of withstanding the stress forces yesterday’s accident put on their aircraft.

I’m grateful for the Ferry operators who, seeing the crash landing, immediately went to assistance, and for the NYPD and NYFD personnel who jumped into the freezing water to help.

I’m grateful for the passengers who apparently took command immediately after impact and shouted for calm and encouraged everyone to exit in an orderly way.

I’m grateful for all the people, across the years, who had enough pride and commitment to their calling and craft to have paid attention. To have been aware of their role, however small, in making things happen the right way. Who didn’t shirk, slack off, or screw around with their responsibilities.

Heroes all, on the journey.

What a miracle.