Air Force superintendent praises pilot 's character . Chesley B . `` Sully '' Sullenberger III , 40 years , is former Air Force Academy fighter pilot . The pilot speaks internationally on airline safety , and collaborates with the Center for Catastrophic Risk Management at the University of California-Berkeley , whose researchers look for ways to avoid air disasters . Air Force Academy has 57 of flight experience . Sullenberger is frequent speaker on airline safety .
Air Force superintendent praises pilot 's character . Chesley B . `` Sully '' Sullenberger III , 40 years , is former Air Force Academy fighter pilot . Air Force Academy has 57 of flight experience . Sullenberger is frequent speaker on airline safety .