US Airways 1549 / ATC Audio released

[ShaneG_old]

Audio & transcripts at link.

http://www.wpix.com/landing/?Cockpit-Au ... eedID=1404

[expat]

Audio & transcripts at link.

http://www.wpix.com/landing/?Cockpit-Au ... eedID=1404

I would be more interested in hearing the cockpit voice recorder than an air traffic controller who seems not to listen to what the pilot is telling him. How often did he offer runways when the only answer he got was that they where going into the Hudson, even when radar contract was lost. Which did not seem to bother him. Radar contact lost over a huge city by a not so small aircraft, not even an open call to any other aircraft on that frequency to see if they could see a crash site or an aircraft in the water. If you listen to the same thing with TWA 800, the controller is talking to anyone who can see what is/was going on.

Matt

[ShaneG_old]

This was just released today, I don't think they've released the Cockpit recorder tapes yet.
I was amazed at how calm the pilot seemed throughout the whole deal (what little you get to hear of him), even knowing rather early that he was more than likely going to wind up in the Hudson.

[beaky]

You can be sure that at some point there were others in the tower and at the NY TRACON putting out an alert. I believe the NYPD was on the case almost immediately, with their river patrol units aoordinating rescue with water taxis, and ferries. They may have initiated that on their own, though... a plane landing on the Hudson on a weekday is going to get noticed. The 911 switchboards must have overheated!!

But yes, it's almost as if the captain's calm but terse announcements made it seem less of an emergency (to the controller).

[beaky]

Here's a longer clip, which includes some conversation with other flights nearby and further coordination. A lot of these people sound unconcerned at first, but their job is to stay cool, just like the airplane crew. Emergencies are just another task for them- getting all worked up about them doesn't help anybody. It's a good example of great controller/flight crew work, I think.

One odd thing is how the flight # changes from 1549 to 1539 to 1529, as far as I can make it out... I think that was one place everyone's nervousness leaked out.

http://www.avweb.com/podcast/podcast/Au ... w=HomePage