Author Topic: Landing on the Hudson River! (Read 1241 times)

Heather · « **on:** January 15, 2009, 03:18:13 PM »

My favorite t.v. show was interupted today with a breaking news story about an airplane sitting on top of the Hudson River in NYC. Apparently the pilot ran into a flock of birds and it shut down the engine. He then made a unscheduled landing right on top of the Hudson River. I watched the plane slowly sink into the water over what seemed like an hour. It was a really unusual site. I didn't realize that something as small as birds could bring down something as big as an airplane.

Heather

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #1 on:** January 15, 2009, 03:42:31 PM »

While flying around in helicopters in the Navy everyone who wasn't accually piloting the helo constantly looked for birds, They can put you down quick.

BTW that pilot did an excellent job in landing that jet, Water landings are very hard to do, apparently no one was seriously hurt, Thumbs up to the crew.

Westbound · « **Reply #2 on:** January 15, 2009, 04:05:30 PM »

Thank God there were no serious injuries or deaths.
My hat is off to the pilot. His skill averted what could have been a tragedy.

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #3 on:** January 15, 2009, 05:14:57 PM »

That pilot kept his cool and saved everyone on board. Good for him!!!!!!!! Great job on his behalf. Dale

Gun Runner · « **Reply #4 on:** January 15, 2009, 10:00:32 PM »

The news said that he was an ex-Air Force pilot, and had 28 yrs of commercial flying experence.
A side note his hobby is training dogs for the Blind

Gun Runner

williamlayton · « **Reply #5 on:** January 16, 2009, 03:12:47 AM »

The Hen wondered why he had too land in the river.
I said the plane wouldn't fit on Times Suare.

He missed several bridges and did a good job, the Lord was looking over his shoulder on this one.
Over the years birds have been the cause of a number of air disasters and most airports have some ways of keeping birds off the runways. it is my understanding that this flock was away from the airport, however.
Blessings

Cement Man · « **Reply #6 on:** January 16, 2009, 03:12:55 AM »

Tyey're calling it the Miracle on the Hudson. It sure was!

magooch · « **Reply #7 on:** January 16, 2009, 03:39:18 AM »

To me, the miracle is that anyone flies. I promised myself when I got out of the Air Force that I would never fly again. I've kept that promise.

If all it takes is a goose, or two to bring down a jet, who in their right mind would get on one of those things. Yeah, I know you can get wiped out by a drunk, or a Mexican on the road any day of the week, but there it is almost instantaneous--you don't get to sit there and ponder your demise.

Anyway, the pilot did a great job and deserves a medal.

Someone could make a fortune if they figured out how to keep birds out of the engines.

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #8 on:** January 16, 2009, 03:45:18 AM »

Did you guys ever see the video of some guy on an aircraft carrier that got sucked into a jet engine? Believe it or not he lived. I wish I knew where to find that video for you guys. Dale

Troyboy · « **Reply #9 on:** January 16, 2009, 04:06:09 AM »

That pilot also walked the plane twice to make sure everybody was off and safe. There is no substitute for experience. This was a hero

Heather · « **Reply #10 on:** January 16, 2009, 04:08:36 AM »

Quote from: DALESCARPENTRY on January 16, 2009, 03:45:18 AM

Did you guys ever see the video of some guy on an aircraft carrier that got sucked into a jet engine? Believe it or not he lived. I wish I knew where to find that video for you guys. Dale

This probally isn't the one you were talking about, but here it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF3Iz7b95-8&feature=PlayList&p=211FD0D123440B8F&playnext=1&index=61

Heather

BBF · « **Reply #11 on:** January 16, 2009, 05:45:50 AM »

A Canada Goose called a small bird??!! Heather what do you call a large bird.
I know about Turkey's :-)
Now if that river was frozen over he could have made a perfect dead stick landing

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #12 on:** January 16, 2009, 06:16:08 AM »

Quote from: Heather on January 16, 2009, 04:08:36 AM

Quote from: DALESCARPENTRY on January 16, 2009, 03:45:18 AM
Did you guys ever see the video of some guy on an aircraft carrier that got sucked into a jet engine? Believe it or not he lived. I wish I knew where to find that video for you guys. Dale

This probally isn't the one you were talking about, but here it its.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF3Iz7b95-8&feature=PlayList&p=211FD0D123440B8F&playnext=1&index=61

Heather

Thanks Heather. That is the video I was speaking of. Dale

DDelle338 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 16, 2009, 08:29:55 AM »

Quote from: RPzB on January 16, 2009, 05:45:50 AM

A Canada Goose called a small bird??!! Heather what do you call a large bird.
I know about Turkey's :-)
Now if that river was frozen over he could have made a perfect dead stick landing

Yes, a goose is a pretty big bird. But, it does not take anything as big as a goose to destroy the turbines in a jet engine.

mirage1988 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 16, 2009, 01:24:50 PM »

They test jet engines by firing frozen turkeys into them when they are running. They need to stay running to be approved for use on an aircraft. It had to have been more than one goose to put out the fire on a jet engine. The Airbus (or scarebus as the mechanics call them) use a high by-pass turbo fan engine. A turbo fan engine uses the actual turbine engine (turbo) to turn a much larger impeller (fan) to produce thrust. You may have noticed the engines on the newer planes look much larger and are much quieter than on the older planes. A 727 or DC-10 would have just made a puff of feathers of that flock of geese, not shut down, but because of federal regulations to make quieter and quieter airplanes, we hear about instances like these. The bottom line though is really this-WHY IS THE GOOSE POPULATION OUT OF CONTROL? Hopefully the Presidential limo crashes into a river as it's going through minnesota and the driver swerves to miss a deer!

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #15 on:** January 16, 2009, 02:09:07 PM »

It turns out both engines are missing from the plane. They must of been ripped off during landing. Dale

http://news.aol.com/article/investigation-begins-in-us-airways-crash/308358?icid=200100397x1217262494x1201115418

powderman · « **Reply #16 on:** January 16, 2009, 02:40:38 PM »

I have never understood why a heavy, cone shaped, wire mesh is not used at the front of the engines. Air would still flow freely, and the engines would be protected. BTW, it was a flock of canadian geese they ran into. Hard telling how many went in the engines. Not protecting the intake of the engine is a disaster waiting to happen. POWDERMAN.

mirage1988 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 16, 2009, 02:51:49 PM »

Anything heavy is not allowed an aircraft?

briarpatch · « **Reply #18 on:** January 16, 2009, 03:18:06 PM »

Powderman, as I sit here and type this I have about 10 men tearing down a gas turbine (that is much like those jet engines) for a 100 megawatt generator that swollowed the big stainless steel screen that was placed in front of the inlet guide vanes to catch any thing that would come through the intake system. When the repairs are complete the screens will no longer be there. I would not want any metal in front of the engine if it were me. Just a small piece of metal will gut a turbine.

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #19 on:** January 16, 2009, 03:48:14 PM »

Quote from: briarpatch on January 16, 2009, 03:18:06 PM

Powderman, as I sit here and type this I have about 10 men tearing down a gas turbine (that is much like those jet engines) for a 100 megawatt generator that swollowed the big stainless steel screen that was placed in front of the inlet guide vanes to catch any thing that would come through the intake system. When the repairs are complete the screens will no longer be there. I would not want any metal in front of the engine if it were me. Just a small piece of metal will gut a turbine.

I would bet it could be made out of Titanium but the end result would still be the same. If the Titanium screen held up it could still block the air flow depending on how many birds flew into it. An engine without air will not function. Dale

1marty · « **Reply #20 on:** January 16, 2009, 03:57:32 PM »

I was on an airplane in which the engine caught fire and had to make an emergency landing. I was amazed at the coolness of the crew and the calmness of all the passengers.
This guy yesterday deserves a medal. The controllers told him to land at Tetterboro airport which is in NJ just across the river. If he tried he wouldn't have made it. He's an real hero.

Matt · « **Reply #21 on:** January 16, 2009, 05:46:28 PM »

Quote from: powderman on January 16, 2009, 02:40:38 PM

I have never understood why a heavy, cone shaped, wire mesh is not used at the front of the engines. Air would still flow freely, and the engines would be protected. BTW, it was a flock of canadian geese they ran into. Hard telling how many went in the engines. Not protecting the intake of the engine is a disaster waiting to happen. POWDERMAN.

If you had ever been around even a small turbine engine you would understand that you better not get anything in front of it. The weight of the metal would not allow this but at some point in time we may see a carbon nanotube defelector. I would say that is several years away. Carbon fiber or carbon nanotubes would be the only thing I can think of that might hold up to the force of the intake airflow and be economical.

Matt

Horsefeathers · « **Reply #22 on:** January 18, 2009, 08:23:55 AM »

Bird Strikes. When I flew in Florida I was always affraid of Buzzards circleing around the airport.They were even soaring at higher altitudes. You can see them pass you in an instant. My neighbor was landing his Small Homebuilt Mustang when a Buzzard Punched through the windshield on the passenger side . His wife sustained facial injurys.There was blood ,guts and feathers all over. He landed safely, but if it had hit the pilot they would have crashed. I kicked an atacking chicken once.It was like kicking a lead balloon. Horsefeathers.