How do you say thank you to the man who saved your life? On this day 14 years ago, Flight 1549 crash-landed in the Hudson River. Captain Sully was in the pilot’s seat, and Ric Elias was in Seat 1D.

In this special episode, Ric and Captain Sully reflect on their experiences of the “Hudson Miracle” from both sides, and how it’s changed both of their lives forever.

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As a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and an airline pilot for 30 years, Capt. Sullenberger has always been passionate about safety, leadership, risk management, and crisis management. Given a greater voice after his historic, successful Hudson River landing in 2009, he has felt a deep obligation to use his voice for good. He most recently directed his efforts towards safety in global air travel, serving as the U.S. Ambassador and representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations Specialized Agency.

But for many years, Capt. Sullenberger has been vocal about safety not just in the aviation and medical fields, but across all industries. He has testified before congressional committees many times and lent his expertise to shaping safety legislation. And he speaks in defense of democracy and American values.

In 2009, with more than 20,000 hours of flight time, Capt. Sullenberger – along with his First Officer Jeff Skiles - safely guided US Airways Flight 1549 to an emergency landing in the Hudson River, in what has become known as the “Miracle on the Hudson.” In terms of total combined years of flying since they had become pilots, Capt. Sullenberger and First Officer Skiles had 75 years’ experience at that time. And in terms of total years of just airline flying experience, they had a combined 50 years, so they were an extraordinarily experienced crew.

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