Emergency landing - ultimate E-ticket ride

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

I am torn between thinking our guys was an average pilot doing what he's supposed to do, land gently and keep the missing-gear side high for a couple seconds until the plane settles ... and a super-pilot who we 48 passengers and 3 flight attendants were lucky to have working at 6 a.m. on a Sunday morning.

There's a reason why these guys make the money they do and why the defectives among them (Read: those pilots on NWA who overshot MSP a few months back) get handed their heads.

[Jordan 04]

I am torn between thinking our guys was an average pilot doing what he's supposed to do, land gently and keep the missing-gear side high for a couple seconds until the plane settles ... and a super-pilot who we 48 passengers and 3 flight attendants were lucky to have working at 6 a.m. on a Sunday morning.

There's a reason why these guys make the money they do and why the defectives among them (Read: those pilots on NWA who overshot MSP a few months back) get handed their heads.

Aside from the very top of the seniority lists on legacy carriers, they really don't get paid that much considering their responsibilities and potential risks. It's also my understand that at some of the commuter airlines, the First Officers sometimes pay the airline in order to fly and log hours.

And compensation in the industry is only getting worse.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

I am torn between thinking our guys was an average pilot doing what he's supposed to do, land gently and keep the missing-gear side high for a couple seconds until the plane settles ... and a super-pilot who we 48 passengers and 3 flight attendants were lucky to have working at 6 a.m. on a Sunday morning.

There's a reason why these guys make the money they do and why the defectives among them (Read: those pilots on NWA who overshot MSP a few months back) get handed their heads.

Aside from the very top of the seniority lists on legacy carriers, they really don't get paid that much considering their responsibilities and potential risks. It's also my understand that at some of the commuter airlines, the First Officers sometimes pay the airline in order to fly and log hours.

And compensation in the industry is only getting worse.

The commuter airlines are another story.  They are the "big airlines" way of avoiding FAA safety and on-time requirements, union contracts, etc.

But compensation in every industry is getting worse.  The only reason that the pilots aren't truly screwed is that there aren't enough Chinese and Indian pilots, so they can't subcontract the jobs out like they do in every other field except burger flipping  ::wank::

And no, I'm not bitter. ::cuss::

[billhoward]

I'm hoping our pilots were merely average, not hotshot heroes. Here's why: If only the best of the best can pull off a one-gear-out landing without bending the plane or passengers, the passengers are in deep trouble when there's a statistically average pilot in command. I think it's traditional to describe anybody who pulls this off as a super pilot, just as any cop who gets shot in the line of duty is branded a hero and role-model cop even if he was shaking down hookers and drug dealers on the side.

Chesley Sullenberger, the pilot who landed the US Air flight in the Hudson, apparently was at the top of his game. Our pilots, I believe, were either better than average or had luck on their side or both, because the landing was super smooth - didn't bounce on touchdown, no hard braking needed (or possible?), nothing amiss.

Wages for pilots are starting to reflect supply and demand. Pilots at the top, senior pilot of a 747 or 777 or A340 making $300K are year, are going to be a vanishing breed. Pilots making $25K a year for a commuter airline, I wish the guy had more to live for. And wish they had more money to live on. The Colgan air flight that crashed in Buffalo, the pilots were sleeping in the EWR crew lounge before the flight out in violation of rules that it's only for resting not sleeping. But when they flew in to EWR to prepare for the flight, Colgan / Continental didn't provide a hotel room to sleep the night before and on their wages maybe they couldn't afford to. So who's responsible for them being well-rested?

[Robb]

Chesley Sullenberger, the pilot who landed the US Air flight in the Hudson, apparently was at the top of his game. Our pilots, I believe, were either better than average or had luck on their side or both, because the landing was super smooth - didn't bounce on touchdown, no hard braking needed (or possible?), nothing amiss.

Pulling off a super-smooth landing is not that hard, as long as the wind is steady and head on.  For a gusty crosswind in the fog, you'd want Chuck Yeagar at the controls if you could get him.  Somewhat ironically, it's actually easier in a larger plane because it doesn't react so quickly to every wind gust or twitch of the controls.

[billhoward]

I am torn between thinking our guys was an average pilot doing what he's supposed to do, land gently and keep the missing-gear side high for a couple seconds until the plane settles ... and a super-pilot who we 48 passengers and 3 flight attendants were lucky to have working at 6 a.m. on a Sunday morning.

There's a reason why these guys make the money they do and why the defectives among them (Read: those pilots on NWA who overshot MSP a few months back) get handed their heads.

The customer service rep / counselor assigned to me suggested (hoped) this A319 wasn't going to fly again. I now read the plane may need engine repairs (maybe not even swapping out the engine?), some work on the wing to verify integrity, and - oh, while they're got it in the shop - replace the right landing gear that didn't cycle fully down. So the pilots, Dale Nordhausen and John Eskuri, saved United and their insurors something on the order of $70 million. Some companies, you toss an idea in the suggestion box and they pay you 10% of any savings.

FWIW, I've now learned after wondering for a long time: On a fatal crash, yes, you do get frequent flyer miles. And they refund the ticket price.

[jtwcornell91]

FWIW, I've now learned after wondering for a long time: On a fatal crash, yes, you do get frequent flyer miles. And they refund the ticket price.

IIRC, I got OnePass miles for all of my flight segments on September 11, even the one that didn't happen.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

FWIW, I've now learned after wondering for a long time: On a fatal crash, yes, you do get frequent flyer miles. And they refund the ticket price.

But if you're dead, who gets to use the miles?  ::shifty::

[billhoward]

FWIW, I've now learned after wondering for a long time: On a fatal crash, yes, you do get frequent flyer miles. And they refund the ticket price.

But if you're dead, who gets to use the miles?  ::shifty::

They transfer: Heir miles on Spirit Air.

[nyc94]

The customer service rep / counselor assigned to me suggested (hoped) this A319 wasn't going to fly again. I now read the plane may need engine repairs (maybe not even swapping out the engine?), some work on the wing to verify integrity, and - oh, while they're got it in the shop - replace the right landing gear that didn't cycle fully down. So the pilots, Dale Nordhausen and John Eskuri, saved United and their insurors something on the order of $70 million. Some companies, you toss an idea in the suggestion box and they pay you 10% of any savings.

The Airbus 320 from the US Airways Flight 1549 "Miracle on the Hudson" is for sale by the insurance company - as a historical artifact, not for a return to service:

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/01/sullys-miracle-on-the-hudson-airbus-for-sale/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29