Captain Sullenberger is a true 15 minutes of fame celebrity in that his fame wasn't sought after, but was earned by a lot of skill and an amazing opportunity. That he was able to land an airline jet in the Hudson River is amazing. Many people might not remember his name in a few years, but I don't think many people will forget what he did.

This is a man who is not only highly professional and highly capable, but also one who despite the opportunity to capitalize on the moment by engaging with the media and pop marketplace, stepped back as if to say, "I was only doing my job". This man is a true hero.

Great job. Actually, it is doable: one soviet crew did the same in 1964 in S.Petersburg landing the airplane on Neva river, right in the middle of the city with no engine working. There were no skyscrapers though.

beginners luck

Here's a guy who did his job and did it very well.

That's such a rare occurrence in the modern world that he's become a hero. (Of course, had I been one of his passengers, I'd probably want to pin a medal on him myself.)

Meanwhile, is anyone mourning the deceased Canadian geese?

i had always thought that water landings were the stuff of science fiction for commercial airliners. The fact that this guy landed a plane with no engines on a river without breaking the thing up is extraordinary.