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Hernando Today

Concerning 'Heroes' And Air Disasters

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J.G. NASH Of Cabbages And Kings

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 21, 2009

The recent successful landing of a commercial aircraft in the Hudson River is commendable, but hardly heroic - so let's not get carried away with kudos for the driver of that aircraft.

The driver was, unquestionably, professional, and skilled, but that's what he's paid to be. What he did, or accomplished, was hardly "heroic."

I feel sure that the driver would agree that, at the moment of panic associated with engine loss shortly after takeoff, one's concerns are as much, or more, with self-preservation than any other emotion. When you're sitting in the front to of an aircraft, your natural instinct is for self preservation; that's understandable, and not a cause for condemnation.

That the driver was able to skid that huge aircraft along the surface of the river, without ripping off its wings, or otherwise destroying its integrity, is an unchallenged testimony to his skill and cool performance, under extreme stress - but "heroic" - probably not!

He was paid to do what he did: some would surely have done it less well, but that doesn't make it heroic. A soldier that throws his fragile body on an explosive device, so as to save his nearby comrades, is "heroic." A man that jumps into freezing water to save someone is "heroic." A Marine that charges a machine gun nest to save his comrades is "heroic." A fireman that advances into a raging inferno may well be a hero, but the guy that simply does his job in landing a troubled aircraft is not!

I do recognize that we have a basic need for heroes, but let's keep it real. Sports figures are not "heroes," nor are those that simply do their jobs, as expected. Heroes are special folks: we who simply do our jobs are not.

I thank and commend the pilot of the fated aircraft, for what he accomplished. That said, let's get on with life in the "real" lane. The accident resulted in no loss of human life, because the driver and airplane crew did exactly what they're paid to do. That's surely nice - but hardly worthy of gushing press coverage. Save that, please, for the young corporal killed yesterday in Iraq, or someplace else in this troubled world.

J.G.Nash is a long-experienced journalist, whose works appear regularly in this paper. He welcomes your rational comments, sent to him at john@have-eye.com.

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