Want to see the plane from ‘Sully?’ Head to the Carolinas Aviation Museum

The new Tom Hanks movie about the 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson” flight is drawing attention to the star attraction at the Carolinas Aviation Museum: The real plane flown by Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger.

Over Labor Day weekend, more than 1,000 people visited the museum at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, about double the normal attendance, said Jan Black, who handles marketing, media and events at the museum.

“People are starting to make the connection that the actual plane is here,” Black said.

Sullenberger gained fame for safely landing on the Hudson River when bird strikes knocked out both engines of US Airways Flight 1549 from New York to Charlotte. The recovered plane has been at the museum since 2011.

The new Clint Eastwood-directed movie, “Sully,” that opened Friday is drawing new attention to the pilot’s heroics and those who flew under his watch.

The museum helped coordinate a private showing for passengers in Charlotte on Wednesday, and on Saturday some of them will be at the museum to discuss their experiences from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The museum also plans to hold drawings to give out free posters, T-shirts and other promotional materials for the movie.

As an extra bonus, the museum is offering $2 off the admission price with a “Sully” movie ticket.

“We’re asking them to see the Sully movie, come see the actual plane and learn the passengers’ stories,” Black said. “It’s a three-part mission.”

If you can’t come out Saturday, the museum will also have passenger appearances on Sept. 17.

This story was originally published September 9, 2016 at 4:46 PM with the headline "Want to see the plane from ‘Sully?’ Head to the Carolinas Aviation Museum."