Chesley Sullenberger was named for the pilot. Chesley Sullenberger Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III (born 23 January 1951) is a retired American airline captain who, on January 15, 2009, landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan after both engines were disabled by a bird strike; all 155 persons aboard survived. Sullenberger is a speaker on airline safety and has helped develop new protocols for airline safety. He served as the co-chairman, along with First Officer Jeffrey Skiles, of the EAA's Young Eagles youth introduction-to-aviation program from 2009 to 2013. Sullenberger retired from US Airways after 30 years as
US Airways Group in three years. US Airways Group and the aforementioned subsidiaries, including US Airways, emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with the help $125 million equity investment from Air Wisconsin's parent company Air Wisconsin Airlines Corporation on September 27, 2005, in connection with the completion of its merger with America West Holdings Corporation. On May 19, 2005, US Airways Group announced that it would merge with Tempe, Arizona-based America West Holdings Corporation, whose strength in the West would complement US Airways' routes in the Northeast, Europe, and the Caribbean. Prior to merging with America West Holdings Corporation, US Airways Group was