1.25.2009

It helps to be a glider pilot


When an emergency occurs in flight, three skills are in great demand: situational awareness, creative problem solving, and energy management. One doesn’t have to be flying a large aircraft with 155 people over a crowded urban environment to recognize the value of developing these skill sets.



Piloting an Airbus 320, US Airways Capt. Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger made a successful emergency landing on the Hudson River after the loss of engine power essentially turned the airliner into a giant glider. This was not his first glider landing. Along with thousands of hours as pilot in command and a career as a safety expert, the captain holds a glider rating.

[From AOPA Online: Training for that moment when every second counts]

-Noted by Midwest Bureau Chief Phil Compton



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