Chesley Burnett Sullenberger III, better known in the media as Sully Sullenberger, was born on the 23rd January 1951, in Denison, Texas USA, and is a retired airline captain, certainly best recognized for saving 155 people on the 15th January 2009, when he landed a US Airbus A320 on the Hudson River in New York City, after the plane was disabled by striking a flock of Canada geese. He is now also known as a speaker on airline safety.
So, have you ever wondered how rich Sully Sullenberger is, as of early 2018? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that the total size of Sully’s net worth is over $1.6 million, accumulated through his successful career as an airline captain.
Sully Sullenberger Net Worth $1.6 million
Sully Sullenberger was raised with a sister by his father, Chesley Burnett Sullenberger, who was a dentist, and his mother, Marjorie Pauline, who worked as a teacher in an elementary school. As a young boy, he built various models of aircrafts and planes, then when he was 12 years old, he became a member of Mensa International, reflecting his high IQ. He attended Denison High School, from which he matriculated in 1969, meantime at the age of 16, Sully learnt to fly an Aeronca 7DC with a local flight instructor, which definitely influenced his choice of career.
In 1969, he enrolled into the US Air Force Academy and by the end of the year became an instructor glider pilot. Four years later, he graduated with a B.S. degree and won the Outstanding Cadet in Airmanship award, as the class’s “top flyer”. Right after graduation, he was sent to Purdue University to continue his education, earning his MA degree in Industrial Psychology, before he joined the Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) at Columbus AFB, Mississippi. Thus, his career really began in 1973, as a fighter pilot in the US Air Force, staying in that position until 1980, flying Vietnam-era F-4 Phantom II jets. During his service, Sully became a flight leader as well as training officer, and reached the rank of captain, with a lot of experience at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, and in Europe and the Pacific. He also worked as a Blue Force Mission Commander in Red Flag Exercises. His service added considerably to his net worth.
From 1980 to 2010, Sully worked as a commercial pilot for Pacific Southwest Airlines (now US Airways), increasing his net worth by a large margin. Moreover, he worked as the Air Line Pilots Association safety chairman, an accident investigator and instructor. In 2007 he established Safety Reliability Methods, Inc. (SRM), serving as its CEO. However, Sully earned worldwide popularity in January of 2009, when he saved 155 lives by completing a faultless water landing of US Airbus A320 on the Hudson River, after the plane was disabled by striking a flock of Canada geese – not one person on board was injured.
Thanks to his courage, Sully was rewarded with numerous recognitions, including a Masters Medal by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators in 2009, the Medal of Valor by San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, the Founders’ Medal by The Air League, among others.
To speak further, his memoir entitled “Highest Duty: My Search For What Really Matters” was published in 2009, and the 2016 film “Sully”, starring Tom Hanks in the title role and directed by Clint Eastwood, is based on the book. So, his net worth is certainly still rising.
Regarding to his personal life, Sully Sullenberger has been married to fitness instructor Lorrie Sullenberger since 1989; the couple has two daughters together. Their current residence is in the San Francisco Bay Area.
