If Sully Ain't Piloting, I Ain't Flying

Yeah, I know this story is weeks old, but today I was surfing around on my news sites and came across this link on cnn.com:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/02/05/1549.voice.recorder.tape/index.html

It is the audio of what happened in the last three minutes or so of that US Airways flight that ended up in the Hudson River a few weeks back. I listened to the audio three times and it still amazes me how CALM everyone on the recording sounds, including and especially the pilot, Captain Sullenberger. The last thing he says on the recording is "We're gonna be in the Hudson," and he says it like he's saying, "I'm gonna be at the store. We need milk and eggs." There is no indication of fear or anxiety in his voice, and that just blows my mind. Here's how the recording would sound if I, the Queen of the Fear of Flying, happened to be piloting the plane:

"OH MY GOD, WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!!!!!!!!!! I THINK I JUST POOPED!!!!!!!!! OH, THERE'S THE HUDSON RIVER...OH MY GOD, WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!!!!!!!!"

If THAT recording showed up on cnn.com, I would be totally embarrased. So let's all be glad I'm not a pilot. And even if I was piloting the plane and the outcome was the same and everyone survived, I'm pretty sure President Obama wouldn't call me and invite me to his inauguration. I'm pretty sure he would call me and tell me to watch some footage of him in the debates so I could learn about grace under pressure. And then he would probably sign some sort of proclamation stating that I could never fly a plane again, and I think that would be ok with me. I definitely wouldn't have gotten invited to hang out on the sidelines at the Super Bowl.

Moral of this story: If Sully ain't piloting the plane, I ain't flying. Also, birds aren't taking me out, so good luck getting me back on a plane anytime soon.

P.S. Does typing "President Obama" give anyone else happy shivers, or is it just me??