NEW YORK — The pilot who guided a crippled US Airways jetliner safely into the Hudson River, saving all 155 people aboard, became an instant hero Thursday, with accolades from the mayor and governor and a fan club online.
The pilot of Flight 1549 was Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger III, 57, of Danville, Calif. Sullenberger is a former fighter pilot who runs a safety consulting firm in addition to flying commercial aircraft.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in pyschology and basic sciences in 1973 from the Air Force Academy and a master’s degree in public administration from in 1979 the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.
Sullenberger, who has flown for US Airways since 1980, flew F-4 fighter jets with the Air Force in the 1970s. He then served on a board that investigated aircraft accidents and participated later in several National Transportation Safety Board probes.
He is president of Safety Reliability Methods, a California company that uses “the ultra- safe world of commercial aviation” as a base for safety consulting in other fields, according to the firm’s website.
Sullenberger’s co-pilot was Jeff Skiles, 49, of Oregon, Wis., a 23-year US Airways veteran.
