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Miracle on the Hudson pilot Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger discusses his role as a leader in airline safety and other exceptional leaders fe...
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It was called miracle on the Hudson three years ago US Airways Airbus and a flock of birds and had to make an emergency landing just six minutes after take off.
The pilot captain Sully Sullenberger ditched the airplane on the Hudson in New York saving the lives of -- 155.
Passengers and crew joining me now is the author of making a difference -- stories of visions and courage from America's leaders captain Sully Sullenberger and and of I've just tell you my son is a commercial airline filed my oldest son and he told me to tell -- think Q.
From the pilots out there the pilot community for pushing.
Four more hours minimum hours for pilots safeties you push in the airline.
RS rules I -- the it -- please tell him beat me.
But my first officer on the flight -- -- -- not done yet there's still much work to be done and we feel real obligation.
Since we have this attention to use it for good.
Well and that's the amazing part is dead.
First of all -- you planning on retiring or once all this after you just -- by -- -- No I've I was gonna have to work -- my life like all my other colleagues I mean I've read Ulster pensions.
And in our priorities straight I'd take a 40% -- Jeff took a 60% pay cut.
But after this happened I -- another year.
But tonight I was able to -- latest based upon my life experience and -- -- a consultant and a speaker -- an -- to do to make a change your profession it's.
-- you to change of professions I mean it was it's pretty amazing and pat how or how is it.
How are you handling this -- -- is dramatic oh you went from a guy.
That's slug it out every day out their flying these airlines around bidding every month for your schedule to now you're rubbing elbows with the the movers and shakers in this country.
Literally in there in the book yeah I mean who knew not and 100 normal lifetime -- that he's -- -- one of these things have happened.
But the way that I live my life it turned -- -- been a preparation -- for that flight before.
This public that -- -- and after in the book is about leadership and you've got some great people each chapters about a different person yes sent in their leadership steel -- and -- and then when I asked also yes.
That I could talk to them and -- picked their brains on what they had done to be so successful and touched so many lives and so I when I heard the -- I knew I had to put them on the page and share them.
What Andy but but then then you -- finally down to the part about you know very little about you but -- back their way in the back.
About you air force academy you -- all the years of flying and so forth.
Came to fruition on that on that fateful day.
I have to ask you when you -- played that in your head.
And I know I know air traffic control said you want teeter -- I look at the map and I look at where you landed I look at Peterborough do you ever think maybe they should have gone to -- call no absolutely not but.
We know we couldn't have made it and that they would be part of the national proficiency to -- active investigation was to to.
-- these things out and do the math and see -- -- -- -- that you didn't -- -- -- -- that the fact that Jeff and I got so much so right so quickly on those conditions as the real testament to our training and our experience.
And had quite frankly I had I had first officer who didn't also have 20000 hours and had been -- before.
Because the work flow was so extreme and I didn't have time to direct his actions we could events and not come but now no we we -- for a fact now that.
But the option that we chose the Hudson was the only viable one that we that we could not have made it to a -- Lot of people talk about.
Trying to get the airports safer from the birds but you were.
You you weren't at the airport you weren't -- were for five miles away almost 3000 feet that hit a flock of my -- are you gonna get birds out of the -- that way.
It's a difficult problem there are some experimental high frequency radars that can detect birds -- a certain race of the airport but that you had to have them.
The solve the problem solved -- how do you get that information quickly to the cockpit useful form.
But what we do know for sure in this.
Difficult problem assaulting the bird -- issue is that the one thing we must do is not put near airports anything that's likely to attract birds.
And unfortunately right now in New York that's happening actually under construction is a waste transfer facility that's only 2200.
Feet.
From one of the busiest airports witnessed by LaGuardia LaGuardia yes and you've been working on that yes so what do you what what your day now like you did start way too early you know it's way too late and in my free time -- have teenage daughters.
Follow up analyst and author speaker consultant for -- industry and I -- CBS news aviation safety expert but.
You know -- Jeff and -- both feel real passion about all these things that we care about our whole lives and and much of that is in the book and so it was a natural fit for me.
Since I've been working on leadership and trying to be -- -- a better leader every week a flying at the airline -- Often having -- crew with.
We've never met before and we are trying to very quickly form a team and work together and critical way -- -- -- like the Hudson River landing had to happen on the very first flight we can handle it successfully.
And so.
And talking to admiral Thad Allen who.
Was brought in to fix the Katrina response and that it brilliantly or Tony Russo who led.
His team to a World Series win or Michelle Rhee who is trying to revamp education or.
Or another name that when you haven't heard -- -- and a mom of two from Boise Idaho was -- -- to preventable medical tragedies.
But became a world renowned patient safety advocate -- has actually improved.
The nature of care we give newborns globally so these these stories all share common themes that we bring into focus.
Being willing to -- serve a cause greater than yourself.
And I noticed you did not have any airline management examples.
While you have a CEO Jim Sinegal of Costco cost them -- I -- -- yeah analog -- about as a result -- thought I wanna get to the airline business because one of the things about it.
Is that it seems like there's been for a long time is that labor management relationships.
In airlines is.
Horrible and it's a shame it does one have to be that way just always that way.
Do you know which is the most heavily unionized airline in existence in this country southwest southwest yeah net seems.
Paradoxical doesn't because they are very they're probably -- a very profitable consistently they have -- great corporate culture right they've had great leadership.
From the very outset and that culture that was created the opinions at the outset has survived the initial leaders and it and it's for provided.
An environment in which people can do their best work which -- can collaborate in which management and partners are real management and labor really effective partners.
So it's it's -- leadership and culture issue for most companies and not just in the airlines but in every organization and so that's again part of the message of the book.
And I think the take away for the reader is even if you don't have a big -- -- fancy title.
That there are ways that we can improve our lives be more successful more fulfilled at work or school or home.
There's always things -- people can learn to do and do better.
Jeff Skiles peace -- still flying.
-- he came back to work that at the airline as I did -- but about two years ago when I retired Jeff took a leave of absence.
He's now working for -- AA that big gave delegation -- in the light Israel's organization as a vice president.
And he also is a great speaker and does a lot of work and safety of -- -- on the country and so we're very proud of him.
He's got -- another career right now he's but it still on the leave of absence from the airline.
Get -- murder always.
Pleasure to hear your your your advice and nice to meet you Tom thanks to have you done.
