H.R. No. 1891
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Veteran pilot and Texas native Captain Chesley
Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III demonstrated extraordinary skill
and composure when he landed his crippled commercial airliner on
the Hudson River on January 15, 2009, saving the lives of his
passengers and crew while also avoiding all the traffic on the river
in an incident that has come to be known as "the miracle on the
Hudson"; and
WHEREAS, On that fateful day, Captain Sullenberger was
piloting a U.S. Airways flight with 155 people on board out of
LaGuardia Airport in New York City; moments after takeoff, each of
the plane's engines was struck by birds and shut down; and
WHEREAS, Realizing that the airplane would be unable to make
it to a runway for an emergency landing, Captain Sullenberger, in a
breathtaking display of expertise, courage, and resolve, put the
81-ton aircraft safely down on the waters of the Hudson River; and
WHEREAS, The passengers were evacuated onto the wings of the
plane and into rafts; a few suffered minor injuries, but no lives
were lost; after checking the waterlogged cabin twice to make sure
no one was left behind, Captain Sullenberger was the last to leave
the plane; and
WHEREAS, Born and raised in Denison, where a street is named
for his pioneering family, Captain Sullenberger is a
fourth-generation Texan; even before this harrowing incident, he
had won great distinction as an aviator, earning his pilot's
license at the age of 14 and logging more than 19,000 hours of
flying time in the course of his career; he is a graduate of the U.S.
Air Force Academy, where he received the Outstanding Cadet in
Airmanship Award given to the top flier in each graduating class,
and he flew F-4 Phantom fighters for the Air Force for seven years,
attaining the rank of captain; and
WHEREAS, Captain Sullenberger has been a pilot for U.S.
Airways since 1980, and he is a flight instructor and a highly
respected expert in aviation safety; he has investigated aviation
accidents for the Air Force and the National Transportation Safety
Board; and
WHEREAS, A consummate pilot and a selfless steward of the
lives in his care, "Sully" Sullenberger is most worthy of the
worldwide acclaim he has won for his lifesaving actions, and it is
indeed a pleasure to pay tribute to this remarkable Texan; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby honor Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger III as a
true Texas hero for his heroic rescue of all those aboard U.S.
Airways Flight 1549 on January 15, 2009, and extend to him sincere
best wishes for nothing but blue skies ahead; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Captain Sullenberger as an expression of high regard
by the Texas House of Representatives.
Phillips
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1891 was adopted by the House on May
14, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House