Sully Made His Own Luck
I’m a big fan of skill. To me, it’s so fascinating watching someone do their job/hobby/sport/art with top-notch, world-class ability, I don’t care if we’re talking about Lebron James on a fast break, or an excellent plumber finding and fixing a leak no one else could figure out. There’s just nothing cooler than being really good at something.
Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, 58, is the pilot responsible for safely crash-landing the US Airways flight onto New York's Hudson River January 15, 2009. On an online professional profile he describes himself as a 29-year employee of US Airways.
Which brings us, of course, to Sully. Captain Chesley Sullenberger the Third, the veteran U.S. Airways pilot who butterfly kissed that big metal bird down onto the frigid Hudson river with no engines, beating odds that even veteran aviators are finding difficult to calculate, and saving more than 150 human beings in the process. Sullenberger is Hero #1 in America right now, and deservedly so.
But what’s very interesting to me, reading about Sully and his career, is not how he’s become an overnight household name because of what happened yesterday, but how he essentially spent 35-years getting ready for those five terrifying minutes over New York City.
Put simply, this cat is good. Real good. At what he does. You can feel it when you hear his colleagues talk about his flying skills, often in that understated way that pilots do; one guy who knows Sully called him “a seriously good aviator.” That’s a beautiful professional compliment.
But it’s not just his ability in the cockpit that stands out to me. It’s his love of what his wife called “the art of the airplane.” If you see the video of her saying that on TV, look at the expression on her face; what she’s really saying is that he’s a big ol’ airplane nerd! And you know what? If you want to be very, very good at something, you HAVE to be a nerd about it. You have to love it, live it, be a geek about it, and dedicate yourself to constantly getting better at it. It’s clear Sully hasn’t spent more than three decades just flying jets. He’s spent all that time UNDERSTANDING them, from every perspective, and figuring out ways they can operate better and more safely.
Another comment by his wife illustrates this quality even better. She said, “He’s about performing that airplane to the exact precision to which it is made.” A Zen master couldn’t put it any better.
So when I talk about this with my sons, I’m not going to say that maybe they could one day land a plane like that and be famous, just like Sully. I’m going to say if they work at it, maybe one day they can be really, really good at something they love doing. Just like Sully.
Comments: 21
The more I think about the woman jumping in the water with how cold it is now, the more I wonder how she's doing. I am also curious about the co-pilot. Not to be cynical, but reports of "chaos" among the passengers evolved to "controlled chaos" then to calm. The news media wants so much to shape and finesse the perfect story but I believe the people who said it was not calm -- how could it be? But under the circumstances, realized they had to calm themselves. I have often wondered how I would behave in a time of crisis. Would I help others or push people out of the way to get out? I heard one survivor of a sinking ship say that people aren't different in personality in a disaster then they are in real life. If that is true, I believe I would be partly selfish, and partly compassionate. I cannot say I would behave as a hero, I think I would be too terrified. Are these personal tendencies things we can change?
I would like to see Sully on the talk show circuit and hear his account of what happened. The scary thing was landing in the frigid waters of an extremely cold winter day, and saving the lives of EVERYONE! OK Oprah, it's your turn!!!!...Lee
The skepticism in me tells me that everyone couldn't possibly be that nice. Every man for himself, but I mentioned that in another post. I think I heard one man saying that a woman tried to climb over a seat to get out of the plane ahead of the person in front of her...True or not, who knows, however, we have a happy ending...and what about those in the water, or those who went to a NJ hospital. I read shirtsters post and tend to agree with what was written....Lee
PS: It was good to see Gov. Patterson and also the mayor out there so quickly too.
I LOVE NEW YORK!..AND ALWAYS WILL!!!!!! Wherever I go, I always come back here. It is my birth right. I also love CT, as I lived there for 3 years in my younger days. Actually, where I live now borders on CT, just love it - I spend alot of time in CT and NY. LEE anewyorkcitygirlatheart xoxoxoxox
Shirtster raises good questions about the realistic human reactions - including each of ours - to catastrophic crisis, in contrast with the flattering version presented by the media in this event. But with two minutes instead of two hours to get their act together, too much of "every guy for himself" would have probably had tragic consequences, and knowing exactly that could make a crowd act responsibly. It's as though ordinary citizens instinctively knew how to conduct the non-football edition of the two-minute drill! AMAZING. Two or three exceptions could be worked around, but twenty or thirty would have "sunk the ship". That's why I continue to view all at the scene as heroes, including the rescued. Also, Jim or Kaity, please find out more about the progress of the flight attendant whose legs were broken (so I've heard).
Excuse a trivial digression, but can we start speculating on who should play Capt. Sullenberger in the movie of this event? The only guy that jumps to mind is Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., but he's definitely not making any more movies!
The "every man for himself" is just a fact of human nature. Maybe the passengers were just too scared, or thought they were dead in the water. I wouldn't discount people trying to save their own lives first....Lee
PS: Trust me,I know about this.
I must admit, as much as I've tried not to show my feelings, I'm not particularly good *ONLY TO MYSELF, in a crisis. Since my daughter has cancer, I would not tell her how sick I have become. Maybe that's because I am her mother. I wish I could just take it day by day and not feel so sick to my stomach all the time. I want things to be normal, but they never will be again. I feel like damaged goods, like a didn't do a good job raising her, or protecting her from harm ...but I do know there are outside forces that have probably caused this, although I can't pinpoint it. Her natural father was in Nam and we were also in Europe, the year Chernobyl blew their stacks and radiation was everywhere. She had the Braca tests that showed the cancer was not genetic. There could be new tests coming out, and that would be a good thing. I would really feel awful if I found out that my genes or her father's had caused this illness. He was exposed to Agent Orange and other chemicals, and there were plenty, during the Vietnam years. He asked for Nam and he got it. She was born during the war. I get sick everytime she gets a side effect or becomes ill with another other life threating symptom. She is not a healthy girl. This is how my life goes. I try to make the best of it, when I can and take those little pleasures from life, whenever I can try to forget about her being so ill....Lee
PS: Everyday is a challange and I am constantly in a state of flux.
Capt. Sullen should be played by Richard Gere. I'm not even a big fan of his, but for some reason he came to mind first.
Please, don't mention Tom Cruise.
Also, I would not even consider Keanu Reeves as he has no personality. After I saw "The Day the Earth Stood Still", I was hoping it would turn into the Matrix. I wish this guy would smile once in awhile....Lee
Can't get Clark Gable, it's much too late.....
Stuffing my face this winter has done a lot of harm to my waistline. I know why I am eating and it's not, because, I'm hungry. Damn Scarlett O'Hara, where is that 18 inch waistline....Lee
Hi Lee. Oh yeah - too late for Gable, as it is for Fairbanks!
I'm sure Gere can pull off the role, but since my earlier posting Ed Harris came to mind. He's a lot like Clint Eastwood, but not as rough around the edges, and he's actually about the same age as Sullenberger.
Yes, Ed Harris is a very good choice. He is a highly underrated actor. I like his work. Good choice! I saw Gran Torino, and boy was Eastwood rough around the edges. I really enjoyed that picture, but didn't expect too. Again Fairbanks and that other guy Errol Flynn (spelling error) are long gone, so there's no hope in getting them to play the part. Thank's for responding Mike....Lee *whotakesaninterestineverything
Yes, Ed Harris is a very good choice. He is a highly underrated actor. I like his work. Good choice! I saw Gran Torino, and boy was Eastwood rough around the edges. I really enjoyed that picture, but didn't expect too. Again Fairbanks and that other guy Errol Flynn (spelling error) are long gone, so there's no hope in getting them to play the part. Thank's for responding Mike....Lee *whotakesaninterestineverything
Hi Mike,
Just heard thru my grapevine that Tom Cruise will play Sully. Not surprised though, he grabs all the good parts before anyone else has a chance, even DEAD PEOPLE!!!!!...Lee
I wonder why Brad Pitt wasn't calling up for the roll. Pitt plays a guy who goes from old to young in his new movie. Actually, it was a good makeup job. He is starting to look old anyway....Must be the six kids and counting. The French love this kind of stuff...LEE studyingtheworldnewshahahah
Let's get Jim Watkins to play Sully. I think that's a great choice. Lee...whoisgettingverysillythismorningnotthathat
hecouldn'tpullitoffKaitycouldplayhiswifesinceshe isalreadyhisOFFICEWIFE
Off topic...
Lee, I could see you having your own blog! =)
One of my friends called you plasticman. I got so mad.....Lee
Hi Jennifer!!!!!
Yeah, I've been told I talk to much, or write too much, as you have probably seen on here. I have a name for my maybe blog, but I'm having so much fun here.....Lee *I am an author and writer on the side.
PS: I have a secret crush on Jim. Jennifer, thanks for writing to me!!!!!
In my magical world, I would make a garden of flowers, all different colors. In my magical world, people would all get along, and there would be no illness or pain. Does this sound like heaven I would say, or does it sound like a fantasy. In the real world we live in, it is a kind of Purgatory, for those who believe in that place. The Jewish people believe that this life we live is "hell on earth". Heaven must be the place we want to be, and where we have peace.
President Obama must be between 2 worlds. Which one will win out?.....Lee ghostwriterwhototally
enjoysherjob
You are a gushing fountain of ideas and subject matter, Lee! No, a volcano!
If it is indeed Tom Cruise, I wonder how much "Top Gun" played into that choice. But I agree with YOUR top choice of Jim Watkins. He's so cool under stress, right? But aren't we putting his cool to the biggest test by hijacking his blog? C'mon Jim, maybe you can put an end to this (if you're still reading) by weighing in on this movie question that I opened in a moment of madness. After that, I promise to stick with politics.
And on politics, Jim, you may be right afterall about Tom Suozzi for Senate - now with Caroline out. Pete King is my very favorite; he's the right person at the right time for the right job - BUT IN THE WRONG PARTY! I still like Nita Lowie among Democrats because she was run off the campaign trail in 2000 by the New New Yorkers known as the Clintons.
Mike and Jim,
The reason Caroline Kennedy shunned the senate seat is because of all her millions. She doesn't want to disclose anything. We all know that her children got JFK JR'S money when he died, and she is probably the custodian of it. Anyway, now that I wrote again, I will stop here...except to say this "I wonder how Jim's acting would really be", should we draft him to play Sully. hahahahahahah....LEE
PS: Nita did right by Westchester. She's a plus in my book - hope her career skyrockets!