Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot who became nationally known after his amazing splash landing on the Hudson River, has called it quits.

The 59-year-old flew his final flight Wednesday after a 30-year career.

Sullenberger was hailed a hero after his "miracle on the Hudson" landing in Jan. 2009. All 150 passengers aboard US Airways flight 1549 survived that emergency river landing after a birdstrike caused the plane's engines to fail.

"Though I am retiring, I will continue to serve as the same kind of advocate I have always been - not only for aviation safety, but for the airline piloting profession," Sullenberger said in a statement. "I will work to remind the entire industry - and those who manage and regulate it - that we have a sacred duty to our passengers to do the very best that we know how to do."

Captain Sully's plans include pressing lawmakers to raise minimum qualifications for pilots and lower the number of hours pilots are allowed to work in a single day.