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I saw the Airbus A320 plane that crashed in the Hudson River 15 years ago. I was moved by the rawness of the exhibit and survivors.

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  • The Airbus A320 airliner that ditched in the Hudson River in 2009 is now an aviation artifact.
  • None of the 155 passengers and crew died during the “Miracle on the Hudson” crash.
  • I was blown away when I visited the jet at the Sullenberger Aviation Museum to see the famous plane.

On January 15, 2009, a fully loaded US Airways Airbus A320 plane ditched into the Hudson River after a bird strike caused both engines to fail.

The accident has since been described as the “Miracle on the Hudson” because none of the 155 passengers and crew onboard died.

Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles were in the cockpit that day and had just seconds to make a life-or-death decision.

Recognizing the aircraft was running on near zero thrust at just 2,800 feet above the densely-populated New York City, Sully saw the river as his only nearby obstacle-free option.

“I couldn’t afford to be wrong,” Sully said during his testimony in front of the National Transportation Safety Board.

The crew’s heroism is now cemented in the Sullenberger Aviation Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina, which opened in June and features the real A320 jet as its centerpiece.

As an aviation safety professional turned journalist, I had to visit the plan as soon as I could. I love that it has been given a second life, representing not only the power of bravery and skill but also inspiring future generations to get involved in aviation.

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