Tadeusz Wrona (aviator)

On November 7, 2011, Wrona was awarded the Order of Polonia Restituta, Officer's Cross, one of Poland's highest decorations. His co-pilot, Jerzy Szwarc, was awarded the Order of Polonia Restituta, Knight's Cross.[5] The following week, Wrona was greeted as a hero when he visited a Polish and Slavic center in Brooklyn, New York.[6]

A video of the landing was recorded and widely broadcast in the international media.[7] Wrona was described as a hero in Polish and International media[8][9] and by the Polish president Bronislaw Komorowski.[10] Komorowski spoke to Wrona shortly after the incident, and announced that state decorations were to be given out to Wrona and the rest of the flight crew.[10] In subsequent interviews Wrona downplayed his role in the event.[11] After the event internet fan websites, including Facebook, were established to celebrate his accomplishment, many of which included a pun on his name, "Fly like an eagle, land like a Crow" ("wrona", pronounced "vro-nah", means "crow" in Polish).[11]

He was compared to Chesley Sullenberger who successfully ditched US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009, also without any serious injuries.[11][12] Sullenberger himself, in a CNN interview, congratulated Wrona and stated that this might have been the first emergency landing of its kind.[12]

Wrona also holds a diamond badge for gliding awarded by the Aeroklub Ziemi Lubuskiej (Lubusz Land Air Club).[13] He is married to Marzena Wrona. They have two children; a daughter, Natalia Wrona, who is a five-time champion of Poland in eventing, in the junior category, and a son Mikołaj, who is a civilian pilot like his father.[14]