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Chesley Sullenberger

Chesley Sullenberger

"Miracle on the Hudson" Hero Pilot, Retired Air Force Fighter Pilot & Best-Selling Author

Sullenberger is a speaker on aviation safety and has helped develop new protocols for airline safety..

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Bio

Full Bio

Chesley Burnett “Sully” Sullenberger III is an American retired Air Force fighter pilot and airline captain. He is best known for his role as pilot in command in the 2009 forced water landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan after both engines were disabled by a bird strike; all 155 people aboard survived.

Sullenberger is a speaker on aviation safety and has helped develop new protocols for airline safety. He served as the co-chairman, along with first officer Jeffrey Skiles, of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)’s Young Eagles youth introduction-to-aviation program from 2009 to 2013.

Sullenberger retired from US Airways after 30 years as a commercial pilot on March 3, 2010. In May of the following year, he was hired by CBS News as an Aviation and Safety Expert.

Sullenberger is the co-author, with Jeffrey Zaslow, of the New York Times bestseller Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters, a memoir of his life and of the events surrounding Flight 1549, published in 2009. His second book, Making a Difference: Stories of Vision and Courage from America’s Leaders, was published in May 2012. He was ranked second in Time’s Top 100 Most Influential Heroes and Icons of 2009, after Michelle Obama.

Sullenberger is married to fitness expert and television personality Lorrie Sullenberger. The couple and their two daughters reside in Danville, California.

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Topics

Topics

A Conversation with Captain Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger

Patient Safety and Avoiding Crisis: What the Health Care Industry Can Learn from Aviation

Making a Difference: Stories of Vision and Courage from America’s Leaders

Preparing for Excellence: Leading Your Team to Success

Videos

Videos

Capt. Sully reunites with passengers on 10th anniversary of 'Miracle on the Hudson'
Sully Sullenberger Surprises Tom Hanks

Books

Highest Duty
Highest Duty
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News

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