Sully (film) January 15, 2009, US Airways pilots Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and First Officer Jeff Skiles board US Airways Flight 1549 from LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Three minutes into the flight, at an approximate altitude of 2,800 feet (approx. 850 m), the Airbus A320 strikes a flock of birds, disabling both engines. Without engine power and judging themselves unable to reach nearby airports (Teterboro Airport being the closest), Sully ditches the aircraft on the Hudson River. The crew and passengers evacuate without casualty. The press and public hail Sullenburger a hero, but the incident leaves him haunted, and
US Airways livery in place of US Airways. The tail and underbelly of the livery remained the same as the US Airways mainline livery. Additionally, during this period several planes were painted with the Star Alliance livery, which featured the Star Alliance logo on the tail of the airplane, and the title Star Alliance painted prominently on the airplane. With US Airways' departure from Star Alliance, all of these aircraft were repainted into the new American Airlines livery. After the 2005 merger of US Airways and America West Airlines, a light grey livery was chosen to better meet operational needs due to the