I write this at the end of October, the movie Sully has grossed $170 million. That translates to 20 million people who have seen the movie already, and the figure is likely to rise exponentially as people continue to view it in theaters and eventually on TV or the Internet.
That’s a good thing for the depiction of the highly skilled crew, the aircraft manufacturer and the water-borne rescuers whose combined actions saved 150 passengers and five crewmembers that frigid January morning in 2009 and made the “miracle” on the Hudson a reality. As aviation enthusiasts, I’m sure many of you—like me—have seen the movie, a dramatization of the Hudson River landing of USAir Flight 1549, an Airbus A320 that was crippled by a flock of birds ingested into the engines shortly after takeoff from New York La Guardia Airport.
With more than 40 years experience in the aviation industry, The Honorable John Goglia, was the first and only Airframe and Powerplant mechanic to receive a presidential appointment to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). He served from August 1995 to June 2004.
As a Board Member, Mr. Goglia distinguished himself in numerous areas of transportation safety. In particular, he was instrumental in raising awareness of airport safety issues, including the importance of airport crash fire and rescue operations and the dangers of wildlife at airports. He played a key role in focusing international attention on the increasing significance of aircraft maintenance in aviation accidents. He pressed, successfully, for greater integration of civilian and military safety information, becoming a featured speaker at national aviation symposiums attended by military leaders and major defense contractors. He is a leading proponent of airplane child safety seats.
Prior to becoming a Board Member, Mr. Goglia held numerous positions in the airline industry. He started as a mechanic for United Airlines and eventually joined Allegheny, which became USAir. Additionally, he was involved for more than 20 years as a union flight safety representative on accident investigation teams. There, he developed a safety program for his union, the International Association of Machinists, and was its representative for NTSB investigations. For twelve years, he operated his own aircraft service company.
Numerous prestigious groups have recognized Mr. Goglia’s contributions to aviation safety. Aviation Week & Space Technology awarded him a coveted 2004 Laurel for his outstanding service as an NTSB Board member. The Society of Automotive Engineers presented him with the Aerospace Chair Award for outstanding leadership in 2003 and the Marvin Whitlock Award for outstanding management accomplishment in 2002.
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