AVweb’s Russ Niles is reporting that the movie “Sully” will preview to a theater full of pilots Sept. 7, two days before the film opens in theaters nationwide.
The movie is based on the “Miracle on the Hudson,” when Flight 1549 was forced to ditch in the Hudson River in 2009. It stars Tom Hanks as US Airways Capt. Chesley Sullenberger and Aaron Eckhart as First Officer Jeff Skiles.
Read the AVweb report here and see a trailer for the movie below.
I plan to go to the movie after it opens. Tom Hanks has made many excellent movies about historical events. I expect SULLY to be well acted, directed and accurate.
There was no miracle, just skillful piloting to a controlled landing. I investigated Captain Sullenberger’s FAA certificates thinking he must have been a seaplane rated piloted, but he was not. But he was a glider pilot which explains why he did not panic.
As far as I can see only one mistake was made during the ditching. Because the engines failed at such a low altitude, there was not time to complete the “water landing checklist.” The only mistake was following the checklist steps in order.
The checklist was written with the expectation of a mid-ocean ditching from cruise altitude. The last item was “Close the cabin vents” and the uncompleted checklist just didn’t get that far.
The only mistake was, IMO, was not saying, Close the vents, run the ditching checklist.
Congratulation Captain Sulllenberger.