‘Miracle on the Hudson’ First Officer Retires

Jeff Skiles continued flying for American Airlines after the 2009 incident.

Ryan Ewing

Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at 10:50 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: tccjeremy

Jeff Skiles, pictured second to left, and the US Airways 1549 crew. [Credit: American Airlines]

Key Takeaways:

Jeff Skiles, widely known as the first officer on US Airways Flight 1549, the "Miracle on the Hudson," has retired from American Airlines after a decades-long flying career.
Unlike Captain Sully who retired in 2010, Skiles continued flying with US Airways and then American Airlines post-merger, most recently as a Boeing 787 Dreamliner captain.
His final flight was American 87 from London Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare, coinciding with his 65th birthday.
The 2009 incident involved Skiles and Captain Sullenberger successfully ditching an Airbus A320 in the Hudson River after a bird strike, saving all 155 people on board.

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Jeff Skiles has retired from American Airlines after a decades-long flying career. Skiles is best known as the first officer on US Airways Flight 1549, which landed in the Hudson River in 2009.

While Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger retired from US Airways in 2010, Skiles continued flying at US Airways and later American Airlines when the two carriers merged in 2013. Most recently, Skiles was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner captain for American.