Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger will retire Wednesday afternoon after landing his final flight in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The 59-year-old pilot rose to fame last year when he made a heroic emergency landing in the Hudson River after the plane was struck by geese, saving the lives of all 155 passengers on board.
So what does the future have in store for Sully? Keep reading to find out what he has planned for his retirement.
Jeffrey Skiles, his first officer on “Miracle on the Hudson” flight 1549 last January, will join Captain Sullenberger in the cockpit for his final flight departing from Fort Lauderdale. But there is no public send-off or press conference in the works for when Captain Sullenberger touches down.
Since being thrust into the limelight for his heroic actions, Captain Sullenberger has split time between flying, giving speeches, and publishing his autobiography called Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters. He’s also testified before Congress on the subject of pilot safety.
In his retirement, Captain Sullenberger says he will continue his crusade to raise minimum qualifications for pilots and lower the amount of hours pilots can work in a day.
On top of that, the former US Airways pilot says he plans to spend more time with his family.
By Dan Bence for PeterGreenberg.com.
Related links: MSNBC, The New York Times
PeterGreenberg.com Links:
- US Airways Pilot Hailed as Hero in Hudson River Plane Crash
- The Travel Detective Asks the Pilot on the Hudson River Crash
- Miracle on the Hudson: The Audio Tapes
- Dateline‘s Miracle on the Hudson: What Went Right
- Bill Boosts Pilot Training Requirements, But Will It Make Skies Safer?
- Dual Engine Failure, Bird Strikes Discussed at NTSB Hudson Hearing