Young Eagles of the Young Eagles program. Ford has flown more than 300 Young Eagles in several types of aircraft, and finished his five-year term in 2009. In September 2009, Captain Chesley Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles, who became famous in the US Airways Flight 1549 Hudson River ditching on 15 January 2009, were named as the program's new co-chairmen. In July 2013, aerobatic pilot Sean D. Tucker replaced Sullenberger and Skiles as chairman. Rolls Royce contributed in 2010 six flight scholarships for basic flight training, and one for advanced training toward a private pilot certificate. In May 2009, EAA joined
2009 Hudson River mid-air collision speed. The pilot of another helicopter (who was refueling at the heliport) saw the impending accident, and attempted to warn both the airborne helicopter and the plane by radio, but received no response. At 11:53:14 a.m., the Piper's right wing crashed into the Eurocopter, severing the right wing of the airplane and multiple rotor blades from the helicopter. Most witnesses reported the plane entering a nose dive while spiraling into the river, while the helicopter simply dropped into the water. The collision occurred at approximately MSL altitude and was caught on tape by an Italian tourist. Less than a minute