Danville Express : Danville 'hero' pilot in D.C. for Inauguration

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Uploaded: Monday, January 19, 2009, 9:59 AM
Updated: Monday, January 19, 2009, 11:50 AM

Danville 'hero' pilot in D.C. for Inauguration
Family flies out after weekend under siege

by Geoff Gillette

Four days after the crash landing of US Airways Flight 1549 and the miraculous landing in the Hudson River by pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III, the Sullenberger family is being reunited in Washingon D.C. Sullenberger, hailed as a hero for his quick action and skills in saving the plane, was invited to attend the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

Flight 1549 had just left the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport on Thursday afternoon enroute to Charlotte, N.C., when the craft was struck by several geese. The birds flew into the plane's engines, causing them to fail.

Sullenberger, the pilot on the flight, did not have enough airspeed or altitude to return to the runway so he guided the plane to what one witness described as a "three-point landing" in the icy waters of the Hudson River.

Emergency crews leapt into action and ferries quickly converged on the downed aircraft, where some passengers floated in the frigid water and others huddled on the plane's wings.

The rescue operation took just minutes, with only some minor injuries reported. Emergency officials credited Sullenberger with an amazing landing and said he was the last person to leave the plane, making certain that everyone had gotten off first.

New York Gov. David Paterson referred to the incident as "The Miracle on the Hudson" and lauded Sullenberger as the hero of the hour, catapulting himself and his family into the national spotlight.

News media from across the country swarmed to the couple's home in the Vista Tassajara community on Danville's southeast side in the hopes of getting interviews with wife Lorrie Sullenberger or a sighting of "Sully" should he return home.

Those attempts went largely unanswered as a shroud of silence descended on the family. Sullenberger himself was sequestered somewhere in New York after talking to the National Transportation Safety Board, and the family remained in its home, insulated by friends and neighbors who deflected press inquiries.

"It was easier to get close to the Jonas Brothers than it is to get close to the Sullenbergers," said Susan Young, a freelance reporter who has written for the Washington Post and was at the scene for a national entertainment and personalities magazine.

Sullenberger was scheduled for an interview on the Today show Monday with Matt Lauer, but it was cancelled after the US Airline Pilots Association, the union representing US Airways pilots, requested that Sullenberger and his family refrain from all media contact until the investigation was concluded.

Still members of the media camped on the Sullenberger's doorstep throughout the weekend in hopes that there would be some statement made.

Their efforst were to no avail. Barbary Coast, a media relations firm, was hired but spokesman Alex Clemens offered no information regarding the family or their plans.

Danville Mayor Newell Arnerich confirmed that the family would be attending the Inauguration. Arnerich said he had been in contact with the family to express his joy and pride in his fellow Danville resident.

He said that when the Sullenbergers return from Washington, there would be a celebration of the heroic rescue.

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Comments

Posted by Gary J. Mondfrans, a resident of another community, on Jan 19, 2009 at 9:30 pm

I understand that the Sullenberger interview has been

postponed and Friday's events in Danville is canceled,

please let me know if/when it will be rescheduled and how

I may get to hard copies of these movies to you.

s/ Gary J. Mondfrans

Web Link

cc: of e-mail to Matt Lauer - Tribute Videos of Hero

Captain Sullenberger and the NY First Responders

From: G Shots <gshots.tv@gmail.com>

To: "Parrish, Kevin (NBC Universal)"

<Kevin.Parrish@nbcuni.com>

Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2009 18:21:15 -0800

Subject: My Video Tributes to Hero Captain "Sully"

Sullenberger, his crew, FDNY and all the "First

Responders" public safety and citizen alike -- They are

all heroes!!

KP,

Hey old buddy, you must be busy but it is a great time to

be such a part of history!!

I hope you were in on what may have been one of America's

greatest day, in sharp contrast to the shameful Bush

Administrations response to Hurricane Katrina in New

Orleans.

I've been able to follow some of your travels from inside

the Fire Dispatch Room in San Francisco where the TV is

always on, my preference is MSNBC in so many ways, and I

can't wait to get home to watch Rachael Maddow and Keith

Olberman. I'm working 0300-1300 hours now, which gives me

time to work on my videos. You should see what I do with

wedding and baby pictures, I love baby pics and video

tributes.

I understand that Matt Lauer is interviewing Capt.

Sullenberger tomorrow on Today and I'd like you to pass

this on to him, I'm not sure I have the right e-mail. It

is my intent to make a very special DVD for the Captain's

birthday on Friday and present it to him when Sullenberger

returns to Danville for a hometown heroes welcome! We're

the same age and he seems like quite a guy, one of quiet

confidence, and one for sure I'd like to see at the door

when I board a plane. Training, experience and discipline

count, I hear it been said that flying is a lot like

dispatching, hours of boredom marked by seconds of

controlled terror. The flight crew also functions like we

do where everybody knows what to do and everybody works

together like a finely tuned instrument.

I'm also sending to you what I sent to Mayor Bloomberg.

Hey, after the inauguration will you be coming back to San

Francisco??

It seems like you haven't been back here in quite awhile.

My best to you and Kathy and your "little" ones!

Gary/4500

USAirways Flight 1549 Video tributes to Captain "Sully"

Sullenberger and his crew, and all the first responders,

public safety and citizen alike who made the miracle of

the Hudson a day we can all be proud of.

==============================

Mayor Bloomberg,

I am the former Mayor of San Bruno and have been in

emergency communications with the San Francisco Police

Department and the City's Department of Emergency

Management for the past 27 years. I just want to convey to

you my sincere thanks to you and the people of greater New

York City for a job well done!

It is my passion as a videographer to make video

presentations for people, places and events of

significance. To that end I have prepared four videos the

first commending Captain Sully Sullenberger and his flight

crew, two others commending the first responders both

public safety and citizen alike as true American heroes.

I have them presently posted on YouTUBE under

'GShotsTV' and will soon post them in HQ

on my website www.GShotsTV.com .

Please feel free to share them as you please.

Best wishes again,

s/ Gary J. Mondfrans

Department of Emergency Management

City & County of San Francisco

1011 Turk Street #D-73

San Francisco CA 94102

(650) 219-8188

Report Objectionable Content

Posted by j michaels, a resident of another community, on Mar 5, 2010 at 9:23 am

i am the third person in the family to read your book " most heroic common sense experience". a mother of a usairways capt. pilot.

your book had me understand the inner feelings my son had as a youngster, wanting to fly. you are our hero. enjoy life with wife and children.

Report Objectionable Content

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