54th Annual Meeting of the
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
September 27-October 1, 2010

Sullenberger to Keynote 2010 Annual Meeting

Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III, the US Airways pilot who masterfully landed Flight 1549 on the Hudson River on January 15, 2009, will present the keynote address at the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 54th Annual Meeting. Sullenberger will speak during the Opening Plenary Session on the morning of Tuesday, September 28.

Admission to the Opening Plenary Session is free for registered attendees; guests and others may purchase tickets for $10 from the online registration site.

In his speech, "Preparing for Excellence: Leading Your Team to Success," he will address how preparation, training, and leadership make all the difference when confronting a challenge. Although many know about Sullenberger's heroic actions on January 15, few have an understanding of the depth of his preparation, and how lives depended on his training every day. From his early career as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, to his ongoing work in commercial aviation as a pilot and safety trainer, Sullenberger's life-long pursuit of learning and investing in himself shows the importance of education and preparedness, and illustrates that true leaders must always lead by example. He also will addresses the importance of organizational culture and how best to allow for human factors when promoting safety.  

Sullenberger received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the U.S. Air Force Academy, as well as the Outstanding Cadet in Airmanship Award. He earned a master's degree in industrial psychology from Purdue University and a second MA, in public administration from the University of Northern Colorado.  

After serving in the Air Force, Sullenberger became a commercial airline pilot with Pacific Southwest Airlines, which was later acquired by US Airways. He has more than 40 years of flying experience. Sullenberger has performed accident investigation duties for the U.S. Air Force and served as an Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) representative during a National Transportation Safety Board investigation and as an ALPA local air safety chairman. His work as a member of an ALPA national technical committee led to the creation of an FAA Advisory Circular. He was also instrumental in developing and implementing the Crew Resource Management course that is used by US Airways, and he has taught the course to hundreds of other airline members.  

Recently retired after a three-decade career with US Airways, Sullenberger served as a management pilot and member of the company's flight operations safety team.