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Capt. 'Sully' Hired By CBS News As Aviation Expert

DANVILLE (CBS 5) -- World-renowned pilot and Bay Area resident Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger has been hired by CBS News to provide expert analysis on aviation and safety issues for its news programs, the network announced Thursday.

"I am very pleased to join the remarkable team at CBS News," said Sullenberger, "and I am eager to contribute to an organization I have long respected for its award-winning reputation of superior reporting."

Sullenberger, who lives with his wife and children in Danville, became an international hero on January 15, 2009, when he and his crew safely guided U.S. Airways Flight 1549 - with 155 people aboard - to an emergency water landing in New York City's frigid Hudson River after the plane lost engine power due to a bird strike.

"Sully is an American treasure and it is a real thrill to have him on our team at CBS News," said Jeff Fager, Chairman of CBS News and Executive Producer of 60 Minutes. "I am a huge fan of Sully's. He is a remarkable person who has a great ability to turn his significant experience into useful insights. He will help our viewers better understand the stories involving safety and air travel that seem to pop up all of the time."

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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