My Take
Sully Sullenberger is the kind of person who makes you believe that genuine heroism still exists in the modern world. On January 15, 2009 — a date aviation nerds know by heart — he landed a crippled US Airways jet on the Hudson River with both engines knocked out by a bird strike, and every single one of the 155 people on board walked away alive. What gets me is that this wasn't luck; it was decades of accumulated skill, military training, and an almost eerie calm under pressure. He wrote about it in Highest Duty, and even that came across as measured and thoughtful rather than self-congratulatory. France gave him the Legion of Honour. He later served as U.S. Ambassador to the International Civil Aviation Organization. The man turned a split-second nightmare into a masterclass in competence, and he's spent the years since advocating for aviation safety. Genuinely one of the most admirable living Americans.
Overview
Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III (born January 23, 1951) is an American retired aircraft pilot, diplomat and aviation safety expert, who is best known for his actions as captain of US Airways Flight 1549 on January 15, 2009, when he ditched the plane on the Hudson River after both engines were disabled by a bird strike; all 155 people aboard survived.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Chesley Sullenberger
- Name (Japanese)
- チェズレイ・サレンバーガー
- Reading
- ちぇずれい・されんばーがー
- Born
- January 23, 1951 (age 75)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Rabbit
- Origin
- Denison, Texas, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- military officer / aircraft pilot / expert / visiting professor / glider pilot
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Denison High School
- University
- Purdue University
Awards & achievements
- 2009 Humanitarian of the Year
- 2009 honorary member
- 2018 Tony Jannus Award
- 2010 Officer of the Legion of Honour
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Highest Duty | — |
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.