US Airways 1549 Captain Receives Key To Danville

US Airways Captain Chesley Sullenberger has avoided the spotlight since his famous role in "The Miracle on the Hudson," but he agreed to address a small group in the upscale San Francisco suburb of Danville, CA, where he lives, provided town leaders kept it "low-key."

No such luck, Sully.

The ceremony, which the Los Angeles Times reports was "held to only an hour," reportedly drew a crowd of thousands on Saturday, and featured brass and marching bands, bagpipes, plaques and proclamations, speeches by local officials, and even a low pass by a P-51 Mustang.

Sullenberger was praised for pulling the best imaginable outcome from a list of poor choices, and for his cool under pressure. Danville Mayor Newell Arnerich commented, "He had only about 121 seconds. I can't even say my name that fast, and he had to make all those decisions."

The pilot's wife, Lorrie Sullenberger, called her husband, "the most honorable man I know," and said she wasn't surprised the ordeal had ended well.

When it came his turn to speak, Sullenberger was brief in his remarks. He praised the town and thanked organizers for the celebration, and simply said, "I know I speak for the entire crew when I tell you we were simply doing the jobs we were trained to do. Thank you."

So far, Sullenberger has managed to dodge dozens of would-be media interviewers, but he's been less successful hiding from Wikipedia. The online encyclopedia includes a page of famous people who've lived in Danville. His name is now on the list.

FMI: http://safetyreliability.com, www.usairways.com