CHARLOTTE -- It's been more than seven years since a plane on its way from New York to Charlotte made an emergency landing in the Hudson River. Now, one of the most iconic tales in modern day aviation will soon be told on the big screen.
The movie Sully comes out this Friday.
The 'Miracle on the Hudson' plane now sits in a Charlotte museum, but a piece of its history lives on in each of the 155 passengers aboard its final flight.
"It's still a special event to see this plane out of the river, on dry ground," said Jim Whitaker, a passenger on Flight 1549 in Januar 2009. "And me looking at it instead of trying to get out of it is a neat experience."
The plane was on its way from New York's LaGuardia airport to Charlotte when it collided with a flock of birds.
"And then in a instant go to no sound, no engine roar,just floating through the air, easing forward in your seat," Whitaker said. "Then you know something's really wrong, when your airplane becomes a glider."
But Captain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger was able to make an emergency landing on the Hudson River, saving everyone on board. The flight was dubbed the 'Miracle on the Hudson' and the story of its celebrated hero, Captain Sully, will now unfold on the big screen. Tom Hanks plays Sully in the film, directed by Clint Eastwood.
"I think after this movie, he'll move from everyone knowing who he is to rockstar status, because he's a humble man, but he's a true hero," said Dave Sanderson, the last passenger off the plane after it crashed. He says the experience changed his life for the better.
"I started prioritizing my life around my family instead of my job," Sanderson said.
He hopes some of the lessons he learned will reach a wider audience with the feature film.
Sanderson is one of the many survivors grateful for the 'Miracle on the Hudson' and for a second chance at life.
"It all turned out to be a great ending that could have turned out otherwise," Whitaker said. "It's a great story."
The Carolinas Aviation Museum in west Charlotte houses the plan. Officials are hoping the movie helps them draw in more visitors. If you bring your movie ticket to the museum, you'll get a discount on the price of admission.