The Heroes of Aviation Careers
by Robyn Tellefsen
What does it take to make a hero? We have hailed Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot responsible for landing U.S. Airways Flight 1549 safely on the Hudson River in January after a flock of birds caused the plane's engines to lose power, a hero. But as the captain has since pointed out, the successful emergency landing was not a solo effort - he worked alongside four crew members to bring passengers to safety: first officer/copilot Jeffrey Skiles, and flight attendants Sheila Dail, Donna Dent, and Doreen Welsh.
Want to make your own career miracles? Train the way they did.
The pilots
Captain Sullenberger graduated from the United States Air Force Academy, spent seven years flying F-4 fighter jets for the Air Force, and has been with U.S. Airways ever since. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Armed Forces have always been an important source of experienced pilots because of the extensive flying time and experience on jet aircraft and helicopters. Those without Armed Forces training, like First Officer Skiles, may become pilots by attending flight schools or by taking lessons from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified flight instructors.
The flight attendants
Flight attendants must have at least a high school diploma, be certified by the FAA, and be able to remain calm in stressful situations. Fortunately, flight attendants don't utilize information on ditching (emergency water landings) on a routine basis. For the flight attendants of Flight 1549, however, recalling their training was essential to survival. If their studying and preparation had not been up to par, many passengers could have been gravely injured during evacuation.
How heroes are made
Pilots, copilots, and flight attendants are the types of professionals we may not notice until something goes wrong. Most of the time, they get us where we need to go and do it pleasantly and efficiently. But when potential disaster strikes, as it did on Flight 1549, those in aviation careers need to not only recall their emergency training, but put it into practice and get it right the first time. There are no do-overs.
As Captain Sullenberger said on "The Early Show" in February:
"The way I describe it is, for 42 years, I had made small, regular deposits of education, training, and experience. And the experience balance was sufficient that, on January 15, I could make a sudden, large withdrawal."
Are you ready to bank on your career education?
Want to make your own career miracles? Train the way they did.
The pilots
Captain Sullenberger graduated from the United States Air Force Academy, spent seven years flying F-4 fighter jets for the Air Force, and has been with U.S. Airways ever since. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Armed Forces have always been an important source of experienced pilots because of the extensive flying time and experience on jet aircraft and helicopters. Those without Armed Forces training, like First Officer Skiles, may become pilots by attending flight schools or by taking lessons from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified flight instructors.
The flight attendants
Flight attendants must have at least a high school diploma, be certified by the FAA, and be able to remain calm in stressful situations. Fortunately, flight attendants don't utilize information on ditching (emergency water landings) on a routine basis. For the flight attendants of Flight 1549, however, recalling their training was essential to survival. If their studying and preparation had not been up to par, many passengers could have been gravely injured during evacuation.
How heroes are made
Pilots, copilots, and flight attendants are the types of professionals we may not notice until something goes wrong. Most of the time, they get us where we need to go and do it pleasantly and efficiently. But when potential disaster strikes, as it did on Flight 1549, those in aviation careers need to not only recall their emergency training, but put it into practice and get it right the first time. There are no do-overs.
As Captain Sullenberger said on "The Early Show" in February:
"The way I describe it is, for 42 years, I had made small, regular deposits of education, training, and experience. And the experience balance was sufficient that, on January 15, I could make a sudden, large withdrawal."
Are you ready to bank on your career education?
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