Money Matters, Simplified.
'Miracle on the Hudson' plane to be auctioned
by Jaspreet Virk - January 22, 2010 - comments
The notice on the auction bid site states that the plane suffered severe water damage throughout the airframe and had "impact damage to underside of aircraft."
New York, January 22 -- One of the survivors of the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ could soon have a souvenir as the airliner that landed them safely in the Hudson River is up for auction.
The aircraft, Airbus A320, is being auctioned at Supor & Son Trucking and Rigging Co., at Bergen Avenue in Kearny, New Jersey.
The auction has been organized by Chartis, a subsidiary of insurance giant American International Group (AIG). Chartis is the insurer of US Airways.
Sale price difficult to estimate
The notice on the auction bid site states that the plane suffered severe water damage throughout the airframe and had "impact damage to underside of aircraft."
The wings are the part of the sale but they have been separated from the body of the plane. The engines are not included in sale and the equipments have been destroyed.
Further, the site states that the inspection for the interested parties is expected to begin within the next 45 days.
The aircraft has not been repaired. It was only treated with corrosion inhibitor last summer.
The scrap metal could end up generating several million dollars. Since the price of the recycled plane varies, it is difficult to estimate how much will Airbus A320 sell for at the auction.
However a magazine Metal Bulletin Monthly has recently reported that sale of a wrecked Airbus A310 had generated $2.6 million, and its new owners yielded $4 million when it was broken for scrap.
The auction, which is open to public, is scheduled to end at 4:30 p.m. on March 27.
The bidders can submit their online bids at www.aigaviation.com/aviationsalvage/salvagedetail.aspx?faano=N106US
About the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’
The ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ took place on Jan. 15 last year when US Airways Flight 1549 bound for Charlotte, North Carolina made an emergency landing in the Hudson River.
The plane was on its initial climb out when it was struck by a flock of Canada Geese. This resulted in almost complete loss of thrust from both engines.
When the air crew realized that they will not be able to safely reach any airfield, the pilot Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger directed it southbound and ditched it in the frigid Hudson River.
Since all the 155 passengers on the board survived the crucial landing, the incident became known as ‘Miracle on the Hudson.’