Sullenberger departs ICAO

Sullenberger, known best for successfully ditching an Airbus A320 in New York's Hudson River in 2009 with no loss of life, pledged to remain an advocate for aviation safety as a private citizen. He did not specify why he made the decision to depart the post. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Reuters that Sullenberger’s “indisputable credibility on aviation safety and security matters reinforced American leadership on those issues and strengthened our nation's partnerships across the globe.”

Sullenberger’s advocacy contributions have included public pushback on efforts by some airline operators to reduce pilot experience requirements; he also testified before Congress to support requiring Boeing 737 Max simulator training in the wake of two fatal crashes.

A retired U.S. Air Force pilot and airline captain, Sullenberger was the eighteenth U.S. representative appointed to serve as ICAO ambassador.