There have been plenty of successful ditches in the history of aviation, even large aircraft. Many of them military. Land as slow as possible, and stay wings level. Certainly a bigger deal with a transport category aircraft but how many of us on this forum think we'd have done any worse? I think the choice of landing in the Hudson was a pretty obvious one considering how quickly he decided against any prepared surface, but he certainly exercised some fine judgement on the ability of the airplane to make it over the bridge tower, I think it cleared by about 800 feet. Kudos to the entire crew.

He mentioned during the Couric interview that about none of his colleagues would guide their children into the profession- I can't say I would either.