The American
Miracle on the Hudson Helped By Psychology Above left: Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger Accepts American Flag Honor from Congressman Jerry McNerney Flight 1549 being lifted form the icy River Hudson PHOTO: SPYROPK
P
ilot Chesley B. Sullenberger has been hailed a hero after his incredible emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River. But raw courage was not the only factor. Experts at the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, an international group of more than 7,200 psychologists, believe that other factors played a role in the safe landing. As well as being a top notch pilot, Captain Sullenberger holds a Master’s of Science degree in industrial psychology from Purdue University. He is also president and CEO of Safety Reliability Methods, Inc., whose services include applying safety and reliability methods in a variety of fields. Assistant professor Terry von Thaden, who teaches Accident Investigation and Analysis, Crew Resource Management and Aviation Psychology courses at the at Illinois Universitys Institute of Aviation flight school, believes that Captain Sullenberger’s
industrial psychology training helped him land the stricken plane safely. “People who study emergencies, behavior and workplace safety are really cognizant of looking at emergencies in terms of all of the things that can go wrong,” she said. “When things go right most of the time you can get into the habit of things going right. Pilots who study emergencies are really ready for them. They’re less complacent.” Diane Damos, a Ph.D. in aviation psychology from Illinois U. and president of Damos Aviation Services in Gurnee, Illinois, which helps with all aspects of pilot hiring, credits much of Sullenberger’s success with the fact that he is the product of an American air system that is the safest in the world. His military jet flying background was also a factor, she said, as military pilots undergo extremely rigorous training, perhaps the finest in the world. “We have an incredibly safe air
PHOTO: INGRID TAYLAR
system in this country and pilots must undergo rigorous training that includes physical and intelligence testing that meets rigid safety standards,” Damos said. “Major air carriers have their pilots undergo this training every six months.” This also extends to those who work on the planes, she added. “The mechanics keep planes in top condition and mechanical failures are at very low levels.”
New York City a hero too
Professor von Thaden said, “It’s actually not just what the pilot or crew did,” said. “It’s where they did it. If this had happened anywhere else, the response might have been entirely different. But New York’s first response system is highly trained; you’re talking about a response system that has ferries trained and ready for things like this. After they saw the plane land, the Staten Island Ferry and other boats went right out there to pick up passengers.” ★
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