Well Patrick Harten, Flight 1549’s calm air traffic controller bested his time at the Boston Marathon while wearing #1549. Interview is from before the race. He really is quite inspiring.
2008 (2:58:59) and placed 1087
2009 (2:47:19) and placed 355
That’s one heckuva an improvement. He has competed in three previous marathons and two triathlons.
There sure were some dedicated talented people involved in that miracle of skill and judgment. Between the six they have ~ 170 years of experience. And to think Sullenberger’s salary had been cut by 40%, Jeff Skiles by 50% (he was a full fledged pilot before cutbacks) and both of their pensions were terminated and replaced by a government-backed PBGC that “will pay pennies on the dollar”.
I hope they have been/will be compensated for all those years.
Finally found some personal information about Flight 1549 Air Traffic Controller, Pat Harten. Still don't know how long it took for him to found out they survived the water landing. I'm curious as to what he thought, felt and did immediately after.
AP's JIMMY GOLAN did an excellent interview with Harten around a related, non-related topic. Found it at Examiner.com.
Turns out 35 y/o Harten is a triathlete. Still a relative newcomer (3 years), he has competed in 3 marathons and two triathlons. He ran a personal best in the Boston Marathon last year (2:58:58) and is hoping to do it again...this time with a twist.
He requested and was granted bib #1549 - something not normally done. But clearly if there were ever an exception this is it. Competitors customarily are assigned numbers according to their times. He would have been somewhere around there or lower.
HARTEN: It got me thinking. It would be very neat if I ran with the number 1549.
Why?
HARTEN: For me, it was more of a sentimental value. For me it's a way to acknowledge my role in the miraculous events of that day. And being able to do that participating in an event that I love is a beautiful thing.
Boston Athletic Association executive director GUY MORSE:
He was part of a life-changing event, what turned out to be a very positive story....We just thought this would be an extra motivating factor to help him have a great day.
Harten, on the job for 10 years, says running and competing help dissipate the inherent stress of his profession.
HARTEN: And it's a healthy way of doing it, too. I found that through the training and the racing my stress levels have definitely gone down a lot. It definitely works for me. Overall, I found I'm happier.
Explains why he was so cool.
Stangeness? The marathon length 26.2 from Hopkinton to Boston is about the distance from LaGuardia to Teterboro Airport and back.
Last month he and his wife, Regina, adopted a 20-month-old boy from Russia. Seems he has been changed for the better.
First Officer Jeff Skiles appeared before Congress with Capt Sullenberger, Doreen Welsh, Donna Dent, Sheila Dail and Air Traffic Controller Pat Harten - the mystery voice on the cockpit recordings.
Chairman Costello, Chairman Oberstar, Ranking Members Mica, Petri and members of the committee, I am honored to appear before the Aviation Subcommittee. I too am proud of the fact that I have been involved in aviation for the last 32 years. Both of my parents were pilots before me. I have over 20,000 hours in the cockpit, have flown as Captain at US Airways in the past, and Captain qualified on 3 different transport aircraft types.
While much has been made of cockpit flight crew’s actions in this incident, much credit is due to the experienced and highly trained flight attendants, Donna Dent, Doreen Welsh and Sheila Dail. Without their quick, capable and courageous actions, the outcome that day would have been dramatically different. To work with such professionals is truly an honor for me. Also, the captains and crews of the boats that came to our rescue as well as the first responders at the ferry terminals were a great part of the successful outcome. And finally the passengers themselves, who evacuated the airplane in an extremely orderly, selfless and professional manner, deserve much credit.
We have been categorized as heroes; if so, there were many, many heroes on that day.
Like each and every one of my fellow professional airline pilots and flight attendants, I realize that flying a commercial airliner is a tremendous responsibility. The aftermath of this incident has brought forth in me a renewed understanding that this is a job for experienced professionals. Being an airline flight crewmember, whether pilot or flight attendant, is a serious job for serious people, and I am tremendously proud to count myself among their number. The dedication, seriousness and professionalism with which we in the aviation community approach our responsibilities can be credited for the dramatic improvement of our national aviation safety record. The training, procedures and tenets of cockpit resource management (CRM) developed throughout the airline industry over the last 15 years, played a significant role on January 15th.
Training departments industry wide are ceaselessly striving to identify future problems and develop procedures to combat them before they occur. A functional self- disclosure safety program is a valuable tool to identify and track errors. Mutually agreeable solutions to make these programs available are in the traveling public’s interest. We must work tirelessly to maintain an unrivaled commitment to safety and professionalism. However, another component of the positive result was the vast experience of the cockpit AND cabin crew.
Sully and I have over 70 years of experience and 40,000 flying hours between us. New pilots in the jet aircraft of our affiliate airlines have 300 hours. When I began at US-Airways, the Company required several thousand hours just to gain an interview for a pilot position. It is certainly in the interest of the traveling public to have experienced crews in the cockpit.
Along with Captain Sullenberger, I have concerns for the future of the Airline Pilot Profession. Experienced crews in the cockpit eventually will be a thing of the past. What this country has experienced economically in the last 8 months, we have experienced in our industry for the last 8 years, since 9-11. In the wake of these 8 years of financial turmoil, bankruptcies, layoffs, and revolving door management teams, airline piloting careers have been shattered.
I personally earn half of what I once earned, AND I have lost my retirement to a PBGC promise that will pay pennies on the dollar. Many pilots like Captain Sullenberger and myself have had to split their focus from the Airline Piloting Profession and develop alternative businesses or careers. I myself am a general contractor. For the last 6 years, I have worked 7 days a week between my two jobs just to maintain a middle class standard of living.
The more than thirty thousand people who work at US Airways are proud of the work they do each day, and of their accomplishments. To many of us, the near total devaluation of our professions by our management is heartfelt. In the last several years the only constant I see is the ever increasing compensation levels of our management.
When I started in this industry there were aviation dynasties. Entire families would be employed in aviation as pilots, flight attendants, mechanics or agents. An aviation career was something people aspired to their entire childhood, as I did. Now I know of NO ONE who encourages their children to enter the airline industry. From our perspective, it is clear that the current state of the management/ labor negotiation process is broken. Negotiations drag out for years in stagnation with little clarity for those of us who have spent our entire lives training to be on the front lines of safety for the American flying public. We aren’t asking for special privileges, but for a level playing field inside the NMB negotiating process. There is not a balance in the negotiating process and the state of the airline piloting profession is proof.
I would respectfully urge members of this subcommittee to work with other relevant committees to promote better balance between airline management and airline employees, especially in the area of creating an environment for efficient and effective negotiations inside the National Mediation Board process, thereby eliminating years of negotiating stagnation. I believe the reforms being considered by the House Judiciary committee can lead to more cooperation and less confrontation. This in turn would certainly help to rebuild an environment that will allow us to concentrate on the safety of the traveling public.
Our colleagues in this industry have rallied around our incident. While Captain Sullenberger and I generally prefer to land at airports, we are proud that the Hudson River landing displayed what well trained, professional pilots and flight attendants can do when faced with tremendous adversity. We are all very gratified and moved that our colleagues in the flying industry have seen this incident as a positive reflection of themselves and our shared profession.
We must ensure that America’s proud aviation traditions of transporting our citizens with safety and security does not fall victim to the immense challenges we face. In this, Congress has a role to play. We hope that you will take seriously the challenges that aviation professional’s face by helping us to level the playing field, and working with us to protect the airline pilot profession.
We ask that congress be a partner to the men and woman who make up the professionals who move America every day, as well as the companies who employ us. Working together we can ensure that the flight crews of the future will be the best and the brightest, and will have the experience and training necessary to ensure safe air travel to each and every passenger they carry.
The Crew of Flight 1549: Capt Sullenberger, First Officer, Jeff Skiles, Flight Attendants: Doreen Welsh, Donna Dent, Sheila Dail and Air Traffic Controller, Pat Harten (the mystery voice on the cockpit recordings) appeared before Congress. What they had to say was an indictment on the airline industry, especially they are all career airline people. Between them they have ~160 years of experience.
Here’s the rather anemic ovation for the Flight Crew.
They sure looked happy to see each other. Harten never said how long it took for him to find out or what he did or felt when he heard. That’s what I’m curious about. I never saw an interview with Harten. Guess we wait for the books or the movie. Surprised one isn’t out yet.
Lives saved because of a concerted effort of a very experienced, well-trained flight crew, the guidance of expert air traffic controllers, the passengers themselves and the first responders in the water. That was truly a sight to see. Within 5 minutes passengers were being rescued off the wings.
HARTEN: He knew what Sully meant when he said he was going in the Hudson and that he was “going to be the last person to talk to anyone on that plane alive.” In the couple of minutes it took to go down - Harten talked with 14 people to try to get a runway open. If you haven’t listened to the tape, it’s worthwhile. The relevant part is less than 5 minutes. [Links below] And although Harten was relieved very quickly (the anguish in his voice is tough to hear) they made him stay for another 6 hours - answering questions and doing reports - before he could go home and relax.
SKILES: 32 years in aviation, approximately 20,000 hours of flight time. Earns 50% less and lost his retirement to a PBGC promise that will pay pennies on the dollar.
SKILES: “Experienced crews in the cockpit eventually will be a thing of the past”.
SULLENBERGER: 42 years in aviation, USAF, accident investigation, 29 years airline industry, 20,000 hours of flight time and nearly 1 million passengers flown safely. Even with his experience and safety record, his pay was cut by 40% and his pension was terminated and replaced with some as Skiles. When his company offered, 60% of laid off pilots refused to return to work.
SULLY: “management must work with labor to bargain in good faith”
SKILES: “promote better balance between airline management and airline employees” Especially in mediation.
BOTH said they know no one who is encouraging their children to follow in their footsteps.
BOTH have other jobs as a necessary supplement to their income.
SULLY: founded an aviation consulting business: Safety Reliability Methods, Inc.
SKILES: has worked as a general contractor for the last 6 years (working 7 days a week) just to maintain a middle class existence. And he lives in a town south of Madison, Wisconsin with a census around 10K.
The bird strikes are becoming a real problem with the population of Canada geese increasing 4-fold in the last 20 years. Think they’ll be eating a Christmas goose this year?
Bird detecting radar is available. The Air Force noticed a marked decrease - zero - in strikes at one of their bases in North Carolina. [see link below] They offered a unit to LaGuardia after the events of Jan 15th. Evidently they are very expensive. How much is one life worth in civil court? 155? And what about the domino effect when a plane has to return or make an emergency landing?
Well I finally got to see who Pat Harten is. He was the calm voice of the air traffic controller communicating with Flight 1549 but he sounds nervous here. And he isn’t at all what his voice sounded like. I thought he’d be older and scruffy. He’s quite a pleasant surprise.
He gives straightforward testimony.
He admits to knowing what Capt Sullenberger said about going in the Hudson. He doesn’t say how long it was before he found out everyone was safe. From the Teterboro recordings they knew approximately 18 minutes later that passengers were standing on the wings. The actual transcripts and voice recordings of the cockpit communications are linked below.
Good morning Chairman Costello and Ranking Member Petri.
My name is Patrick Harten.
I have been an air traffic controller at the NY TRACON and a proud member of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association for the past 10 years.
While January 15, 2009 is forever etched in my memory, it began unremarkably. I arrived at work at 12:30pm to begin my eight-hour shift.
At 3:12 PM I was assigned to work the LaGuardia (LGA) departure RADAR position. This position handles all departures from LGA airport.
At 3:25 PM, the LGA tower controller advised me that Cactus 1549 was the next departure rolling for takeoff.
It was a routine westbound departure off of Runway 4 traveling due north on a 360 degree heading and climbing to 5,000 feet. I instructed Cactus to climb to 15,000 and turned my attention to give instructions to another aircraft under my control. I then turned back to Cactus 1549 and instructed him to turn left to heading 270, heading the aircraft towards its destination. That is when the Captain advised me that they suffered a bird strike, lost thrust in both engines, and needed to return to LGA for an emergency landing.
When a pilot tells a controller he needs to make an emergency landing, the controller must act quickly and decisively. I made a split second decision to offer him Runway 13, which was the closest runway to his current position and turned him left at a 220 heading so he could return to the airport. I then immediately contacted LGA tower to ask them to stop departures and clear the runways for an emergency return.
While I have worked 10 or 12 emergencies over the course of my career, I have never worked an aircraft with zero thrust capabilities. I understood how grave this situation was. After I gave him his instructions, the Captain very calmly stated: “We’re unable.”
I quickly vectored an aircraft that was still in my airspace and then gave 1549 a second option: land on LGA Runway 31. Again the Captain said, “Unable.”
I then asked the Captain what he needed to do to land safely. At this point, my job was to coordinate and arrange for the pilot to be able to do whatever was necessary. The pilot told me that he could not land on any runway at LGA, but asked if he could land in New Jersey and suggested Teterboro.
I had experienced working traffic into TEB from my time working in the EWR sector and after coordinating with the controllers in TEB, we were able to determine that Runway 1 was the best option. It was the arrival runway, and clearing it for an emergency landing would be easier and faster. It also meant that 1549 would be landing into the wind, which could have assisted the pilot in making a safe landing. I called TEB and explained the situation. The controller at TEB reacted quickly and prepared Runway 1 for the emergency landing. I then instructed the Captain to turn right on a 280 heading to land on Runway 1.
The Captain replied: “We can’t do it.”
I replied immediately, “Which runway would you like at Teterboro?”
The captain replied: “We’re gonna be in the Hudson.”
I asked him to repeat himself, even though I heard him just fine. I simply could not wrap my mind around those words. People don’t survive landings on the Hudson River; I thought it was his own death sentence.
I believed at that moment, I was going to be the last person to talk to anyone on that plane alive.
I then lost radio contact with 1549, and the target disappeared from my radar screen as he dropped below the tops of the New York City skyscrapers. I was in shock. I was sure the plane had gone down.
Less than a minute later, 1549 flickered back onto my radar scope. The aircraft was at a very low altitude, but its return to radar coverage meant that there was a possibility 1549 had regained the use of one of its engines. Grasping at that tiny glimmer of hope, I told 1549 that it could land at EWR seven miles away on Runway 29, but I received no response. I then lost radar contact again, this time for good.
I was relieved from my position a few minutes later, as soon as it was possible. I was in no position to continue to work air traffic. It was the lowest low I had ever felt. I wanted to talk to my wife. But I knew if I tried to speak or even heard her voice, I would fall apart completely. I settled for a hasty text message: “Had a Crash. Not ok. Can’t talk now.”
When I got home, she told me she thought I had been in a car accident. Truth was I felt like I’d been hit by a bus. It took six hours before I could leave the facility. I had to review the tapes, fill out paperwork and make an official statement.
It may sound strange, but for me the hardest and most traumatic part of the entire event was when it was over.
During the emergency itself, I was hyper-focused. I had no choice but to think and act quickly, and remain calm. But when it was over, it hit me hard. It felt like hours before I learned about the heroic water landing that Captain Sullenberger and his crew had managed. Even after I learned the truth, I could not shake the image of tragedy in my mind. Every time I saw the survivors on the television, I imagined grieving widows.
It has taken over a month for me to be able to see that I did a good job; I was flexible and responsive. I listened to what the pilot said and made sure to give him the tools he needed. I stayed calm and in control.
I return to work this week, and while it may take time for me to regain my old confidence; I know I will get there. I would like to end by personally recognizing the Captain and crew of Flight 1549 for their professionalism, skill and heroic efforts that day.
I also would like to recognize the professionalism of the other controllers who helped clear the skies and the runways for 1549, as well as the engineers, who helped ensure that the aircraft itself could survive the landing in the Hudson and that those inside would be safe.
Finally, I want to thank my wife Regina. She has been my rock these past few weeks—as she always has and always will be. I couldn’t have survived this without her.
Thank you Mr. Chairman. I am prepared to answer any questions you have.
As far as a comprehensive list of posts on Flight 1549 in one post? We tried to link the posts together but there are too many (40) to collect in one post. Here are the links to the archive pages where you can find whatever you need.
No, we don't have anything on the air traffic controller Pat Harten other than the cockpit recording with his voice. If I have a chance later maybe I'll see what's out there. I, too, would like to know how long he had to wait to find out. The Teterboro recordings show they knew about 20 minutes later.
As far as those sites using our posts without sourcing us? I don't get it either. It's a matter of personal blogger integrity. Thanks for letting us know, though.
Yes, you can use whatever information you like. That's what it's here for. We just ask you attribute the site like you otherwise would.
