Captain 'Sully' Sullenberger Inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame
By PRBAA Newsroom
Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger was formally inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame on September 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C., 17 years after safely landing US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River with all 155 aboard surviving.
Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger was formally inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame on September 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C. — 17 years after the "Miracle on the Hudson."
On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 suffered a severe bird strike that disabled both engines shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport. Captain Sullenberger safely glided and ditched the Airbus A320 into New York's Hudson River, and all 155 passengers and crew members survived — making his calm leadership a defining moment in aviation history.
Sullenberger joined the Hall of Fame's Class of 2026, which the National Aviation Hall of Fame enshrines each year in what is often described as "the Oscars of aviation." In November 2025 he shared that he was among those selected for the class, saying he was "deeply honored."
Beyond the Hudson, Captain Sullenberger has spent the years since his retirement as a leading voice on aviation safety, serving on safety boards and speaking on pilot training, crew resource management, and the importance of a well-resourced air traffic control system — issues that remain central to the business aviation community PRBAA serves.