Bella92108

Do you want a medal of honor? Sure it was a good job... after all, it is a pilot's JOB to fly the plane, even in reaction to emergencies.... Don't glorify it, it's a good job in the line of duty. If you want to glorify something, put the guys that are fighting IEDs and rogue terrorist cells in Afghanistan, or the rescue workers digging through teetering rubble while facing nuclear exposure and constant 7+ magnitude earthquakes in Japan.

aluminumdriver

Easy fella, don't go into FT lala land. I personally want nothing, although I've spent my fair time in war zones and digging people out of blown up buildings in my 25+ military career already, so thanks for your appreciation.

As I stated, it was unfortunate to me that United management has managed to pretty much ignore a very good job by their employees, versus highlighting it as a postive to the public for their product.


AD

SFO 1K

I'd like to see the employees recognized publicly as well.
So far, I don't think names have been released to the public, other than the Co Pilot who spoke to AP since a reporter was on the plane. After the NTSB releases an initial report on 4/18, maybe then the company will do something for all to see.

But AD, I do, completely hear where you're coming from.

RedHeadFlyer

"It's how you do the ordinary things you do every day, that will give you a chance for that one extraordinary day."

That this wasn't an astonishing thing and instead is something you'd expect out of any United pilot is not a reason to not glorify it. Quite the opposite, it's the reason you should be glorifying the pilot you have flying for you all the time. For my money, United has a consistently exceptional piloting crew. There is a level of pride in their profession and safety, and a view of it that while is there in spots anywhere, just is not the same caliber at many other airlines. That people think what United has is just the same as a job, is a reason we're in really good danger of losing it in the longer upcoming years. I've had several weird plane things happen on United and each time I've come away thinking, "That's why I want to fly with United pilots." And I've had some weird plane things happen other places, and while a couple were good, others I've come away thinking, "That's why I want to fly with United pilots."

And you still have to give major credit to the crew here. This was not just another good day at the office, albeit a bit trickier than usual. Take the long runway under construction needing clearing in the middle of all this? Quick pilot, make a bunch of new decisions and discussions, don't lose any of your other balls in the air, and these weren't in your practice book...

kenhawk

Geez, Bella! Way to go off the rails and p*ss off our resident UA pilot all in your second FT post!

Nobody compared the pilots of 497 to the heros you mentioned. The point was that they did a great piece of flying, given the fact their aircraft was failing them. Lesser trained pilots may not have done so well, and so the UA pilots DO deserve recognition as does the company for hiring and training them the way they did.

FriendlySkies

But those people you mentioned are just doing their jobs. Why should they receive a medal? The UA pilots saved the lives of everybody aboard the flight. With a less experienced crew, the outcome may very well have changed, causing the pilots, and pax, to lose their lives.

Lurker

(VERY) Preliminary NTSB report out.

Lurker

danville 1K

Its also the job of the cabin crew to take care of you during the flight. But most of us say please and thank you when we're being helped. Guess I'll quit doing so since they're just really doing their job and don't really deserve it.

It isn't about glorifying what the cockpit crew did, its being thankful the crew had the necessary experience to bring the aircraft down safely under extreme pressure. Even if it is just part of another day on the job for them.

Ripper3785

One thing I found quite surprising is that FDR and CVR stopped recording before the plane landed. I don't believe that happens too often.

ETA: the info I just mentioned is in the ntsb press release, not the prelim report.

Lurker

Could this be an (unexpected and unintended) result of loss of power to many instruments?? If so, it should be corrected ASAP!

Lurker

Exleftseat

Just because it's someone's job doesn't mean they are doing it well. Have had lots of bad meals in restaurants, because the cooks didn't do a good job. Nobody wants to glorify anything, just recognize these two pilots for a job extremely well done. Could have easily gone the other way, but this time everybody on board got home safely. That's what it's all about^

Christofu

Medal of Honor, no, but recognition from the Company for maintaining cool, and getting 100+ souls down safely when the poop was hitting the fan? Absolutely!

jhayes_1780

And here is the "real" report, on the preliminary report :

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...o&mod=yahoo_hs

undersky

So the loss of instrument was due to the failure to switch generator back on? Perhaps the crew was not entirely above reproach?

On the comment section from the WSJ article today, someone said the time the crew had to react was so short that their top priority was to land the aircraft, not worrying about nose gear steering or instrument power.

i would like to hear some of the expert (pilots) opinions on FT though.

kenhawk

Here's a YouTube Video taken by a passenger/off-duty reporter of the moments after the evac...kind of interesting.