Saluting a great feat

Current affairs blogs, like the news in all its forms, tend to be dominated by the negative - criticism of countries, politicians etc so its nice, just occasionally, to be able to say 'what a wonderful achievement'.

And the skill shown by Captain Chesley Sullenberger in landing an Airbus in the Hudson River so skilfully that no one was killed and the aircraft ditched without breaking up was truly amazing. The 57 year old pilot, although a military pilot of many years experience, had hardly any time in which to make a momentous decision when a flock of birds took out both engines. He had to decide in seconds whether he could make it back to La Guardia and land safely, to do as he was advised and land at the small Teterboro airfield or to ditch the plane in the river.




That he chose the last, avoided the George Washington bridge, found a stretch of the Hudson free of bridges , boats and the like and put the plane down so carefully that it avoided breaking up showed astonishing reactions, cool nerve and skill.

Captain Sullenberger deserves all the accolades coming his way.