The Face of Courage

Face of Danger

On that cold winter day, the world witnessed a courageous landing, when Captain "Sully" Sullenberger brought the crippled US Airway flight onto the Hudson River. Shortly after takeoff from New York's LaGuardia Airport, en route to Charlotte, North Carolina, Sully radioed air traffic control reporting that the plane had been hit by a large flock of birds, disabling both engines. (Passengers on the left side saw the engine on fire.)

Considering all possibilities, from returning to LaGuardia to attempting to land at the Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, Sullenberger quickly determined that a water landing on the Hudson River was the only viable option. Captain Sully told the passengers to "brace for impact," then he and his crew piloted the plane to a "smooth ditching in the river" around 3:31 pm. The entire flight lasted only five minutes and eight seconds. All passengers and crew members survived.

The courage of Captain Sullenberger saved over 150 people. Later Sully was quoted saying, "It was very quiet as we worked . . . to have zero thrust coming out of those engines was shocking -- the silence." True to form, Captain Sully checked the cabin twice to ensure everyone had evacuated before he himself exited with the plane's logbook.

Firmness of Mind
One might argue that Captain Sullenberger was just doing his job, and that would be true. His education, elite training, 42+ years of experience, and tens of thousands of flight hours certainly helped prepare him to make a calculated decision which produced the best possible outcome. With all the fanfare and recognition Captain Sully received following the event, he said, "Probably the most important words I've heard have been from my peers . . . that I have made them proud. They also tell me they were glad I was the one flying that flight."

Strength to Persevere
Few of us are called to go to the moon, land on the Hudson, or even save someone from a burning building. Many times, the courage we demonstrate is in quiet, significant ways that may change the trajectory of our company, our family, or even our life. Once it's been demonstrated, there's a good chance we won't be in a parade or given the "key to the city," but I think even Captain Sullenberger would agree there is more to life than public accolades.

In his newly released autobiography, Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters, Captain Sullenberger shares his story of being a hometown boy who lived in the shadows of the Perrin Air Force Base in Denison, Texas. As a teenage crop duster pilot, to the United States Air Force, and later as a commercial pilot, Sullenberger believes in "the importance of taking responsibility for everyone in his care."

The Face of Courage

Sullenberger writes, "I've come to realize that my journey to the Hudson River didn't begin at LaGuardia Airport. It began decades before, in my childhood home, on Mr. Cook's grass airfield, in the skies over North Texas, in the California home I now share with my wife, Lorrie and our two daughters, and on all the jets I've flown toward the horizon. Flight 1549 wasn't just a five-minute journey. My entire life led me safely to that river."

At the fairly young age of 57 years old, Captain "Sully" Sullenberger recently retired from US Airways. With two little girls, a loving wife, a bestselling book, and still more to do with his consulting firm, Safety Reliability Methods, Inc., Sully has a full plate. Although the world may remember him as the hero of US Airways Flight 1549, the legacy he desires to leave most is that of a loving husband and father.

Ready to Serve
Just like the Cowardly Lion in Frank Baum's delightful story, we could all use a little more courage. The best part is we don't need to make travel arrangements to the Land of Oz. Instead, we just need to take Phil Eastman's advice to "cultivate this characteristic so when fear strikes, Courage is ready to serve you."