Hudson pilot urges safety funding

The pilot of a plane that ditched into the Hudson River in New York has called on US airlines to invest more in recruiting and training pilots.

Capt Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger told Congress his pay had been cut by 40% in recent years, and the industry might not attract the "best and brightest".

"The single most important piece of safety equipment is an experienced, well-trained pilot," he said.

He was hailed as a hero after January's landing, which all on board survived.

At the hearing, an air traffic controller recalled the captain telling him he would land in the river, and thinking this was a "death sentence".

Controller Patrick Harten said it felt like hours before he heard of the plane's "heroic landing".

'Economic tsunami'

Earlier, Capt Sullenberger told the House aviation subcommittee that he was "deeply troubled" about the future of the airline industry.

He said pay cuts had placed "pilots and their families in an untenable financial situation", and that this was deterring potential recruits.

Companies should refocus on the recruitment and retention of well-trained pilots, and this should be "at least equal to their financial bottom lines", he said.

Capt Sullenberger said the airline industry had been facing severe economic challenges for the last eight years.

"We've been hit by an economic tsunami: September 11th, bankruptcies, fluctuating fuel prices, mergers, loss of pensions and revolving door management teams," he said.

He added that his decision to stay in the airline industry had come at "a great financial cost to me and my family", with his pay cut and pension downgraded.