Right Pundits

See a new video of the plane landing and hear the thrilling cockpit recording of Captain Chesley Sullenburger and crew on board US Airways Flight 1549 while the airplane coasted to a surprising landing in the Hudson River. Hear the audio tape as the crew communicates with air traffic controllers and read the transcript. The accompanying video is incredible.

Flight 1549 Recording Released: Audio, Video

The Sullenburger Legend continue to grow as he calmly and succinctly tells air traffic controllers that the plane is going down.

Transcript (audio video below):

“This is cactus 1549 hit birds, turning back to LaGuardia.”

“I’m not sure if we can make any runway.”

“We can’t do it. Which other runway do you want at Teterboro? We’re going in the Hudson.”

“We’re going to be in the Hudson.”

In an age when Americans feel older and less passionate, one often wonders where the heroes have gone. Long past are the nostalgic eras when we adored Audie Murphy, Mickey Mantle, and Charles Lindberg. We sometimes think heroes have disappeared as Americans grow more cynical and self-centered, and some of us long for the past.

Enter Chesley Sullenburger to knock us back to our senses. He reminds each of us that heroes really do still exist, and that they are right around us including quiet neighbors in sleepy towns like Danville, California. They are still in our military, still on our sports fields, still fighting fires, and still flying airplanes. We have Captain Sullenburger to thank for reminding us that we are not all the same. Some people are far more admirable than others.

Listen to the audio tape of the flight crew below and tell us what you think. The cockpit recording was released on February 5th 2009.