That’s just in North America; overseas, Sully has earned an early $36.4 million for a global tally of $133.4 million. (With its heroic American storyline, the movie is a tougher sell in certain territories.)

He is best known for his role as pilot in command in the 2009 ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan after both engines were disabled by a bird strike; all 155 people aboard survived….

Captain Chesley Burnett Sullenberger III

It took 15 months before federal crash investigators concluded that Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and co-pilot Jeff Skiles made the right decision to ditch the plane in the Hudson River (The Wall Street Journal). That time frame is significantly condensed for the movie.

As of July 2021, Chesley Sullenberger has the estimated net worth of around $2 million. The main source of his earning is his superb performance as a pilot in jet airways. Apart from this, he is also a writer, and this income also contributes to his net worth.

As of 2021, Skiles was working for American Airlines, piloting Boeing 787 Dreamliners….

Sully is eloquent, well-known, and comes with a $50,000 fee plus first-class expenses for two. Before his ordeal he was an unknown pilot. Now he’s a hero (deservedly so) and on the speaking circuit.

All 155 people on board were rescued by nearby boats, with a few serious injuries. This water landing of a powerless jetliner became known as the “Miracle on the Hudson”, and a National Transportation Safety Board official described it as “the most successful ditching in aviation history”….US Airways Flight 1549.

the Carolinas Aviation Museum

While first officer Jeffrey Bruce “Jeff” Skiles began configuring an engine restart, Captain Sully glided the plane to a safe landing spot. It became apparent to both Sully and Skiles that the best option for the aircraft was the Hudson River, where the plane eventually ditched.

Chesley (“Sully”) Sullenberger III, and 150 passengers. About two minutes into the flight, the airplane flew into a flock of Canada geese. Both engines were severely damaged, causing an almost complete loss of thrust. Repeated attempts to restart the engines were unsuccessful.

If you ask the real Captain Sully, the answer is that Sully is pretty damn accurate. Based on his book, Highest Duty, Sully stays true to many facts of the real story, particularly as it pertains to the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

On January 15 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 took off from LaGuardia Airport in New York for Charlotte, North Carolina. In less than 20 minutes, the plane was “landed” on the Hudson river. The story is now told in Sully: Miracle on the Hudson and here is a breakdown of the flight from departure to landing.

No, although that can certainly happen in some instances. If a plane hits the ground mostly intact, in most cases the passengers and crew were alive when it hit. Additionally, in many accidents, the passengers and crew are still alive even after the aircraft hits the ground.

It soon hit a flock of migrating Canada geese and both engines shut down. But Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger was able to successfully glide the plane to rest on the surface of the Hudson River. Passengers got wet, but all survived, with no serious injuries.