Biography

Became famous as a captain for US Airways after successfully ditching an Airbus A320 in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009. His aircraft hit a flock of geese after takeoff, damaging the engines and forcing him to land in the water. All passengers and crew survived.

Former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot.

Graduated from United States Air Force Academy with a B.S.

Lives in Danville, California with his family [2009].

Graduated from Purdue University with a master's in industrial psychology in 1973.

I felt it was like the best of both worlds. I could use my experience, I could look out the window and make a decision about where we were going to go, while he [the first officer] was continuing his effort to restart the engines and hoping that we wouldn't have to land some place other than a runway. He was valiantly trying until the last moment to get the engines started again. [interview in Air & Space Smithsonian, on Wednesday, February 18th, 2009. Interview was 34 days after successfully guiding and leading the falling US Airways' Flight 1549 into the Hudson River on Thursday, January 15th, 2009]

Most of the training that we get is for a situation where you have more time to deal with things. You have time to be more thoughtful, to analyze the situation. Typically what's done these days is for the first officer to be the pilot flying and for the captain to be the pilot monitoring, analyzing and managing the situation. There wasn't time for that. [interview in Air & Space Smithsonian, on Wednesday, February 18th, 2009. Interview was 34 days after successfully guiding and leading the falling US Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River on Thursday, January 15th, 2009]

I would characterize the cockpit as being busy, businesslike, and our cooperation was done largely by observing the other and not communicating directly because of the extreme time pressure. [First officer] Jeff [Skiles] and I worked together seamlessly and very efficiently, very quickly, without directly verbalizing a lot of issues. We were observing the same things, we had the same perceptions, and it was clear to me that he was hearing what I was saying to Air Traffic Control on the radio. He was observing my actions, and I was observing his, and it was immediately obvious to me that his understanding of the situation was the same as mine, and that he was quickly and efficiently taking the steps to do his part. [interview in Air & Space Smithsonian, on Wednesday, February 18th, 2009. Interview was 34 days after successfully guiding and leading the falling US Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River on Thursday, January 15th, 2009]

[asked whether it was standard procedure for the captain to go back through the cabin after an emergency] I felt that as more of a personal responsibility than a procedural responsibility - which it may be. But I had the time, the aircraft was stable, and I was not concerned that it would suddenly sink. And so I could leave absolutely no possibility of anyone being left behind. I made a thorough search, calling out, "Is anyone there?" to make sure the evacuation was complete, and it was. [interview in Air & Space Smithsonian, on Wednesday, February 18th, 2009. Interview was 34 days after successfully guiding and leading the falling US Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River on Thursday, January 15th, 2009]

[when asked about how the flight attendants helped, after he announced "Brace for impact"] I felt they were assisting me in that moment. Even though we were intensely focused and very busy, I remember thinking that as soon as I made the public address announcement in the cabin, within a second or two, I heard, even through the hardened cockpit door, the flight attendants in unison shouting their commands. "Heads down. Stay down." And it was comforting to me to know that they were on the same page, that we were all acting in concert. It made me feel that my hope and my confidence in completing this plan was reasonable and that they knew what needed to be done and were doing their part. [interview in Air & Space Smithsonian, on Wednesday, February 18th, 2009. Interview was 34 days after successfully guiding and leading the falling US Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River on Thursday, January 15th, 2009]