From YouTube: US officials are investigating how a child was apparently allowed to direct planes at New York's JFK airport - one of the country's busiest. The probe comes after an audiotape caught the boy directing several pilots preparing for take-off last month.
In one exchange, the boy is heard saying: "JetBlue 171 contact departure." The pilot responds: "Over to departure JetBlue 171, awesome job."
The boy was apparently with his father - a certified air traffic controller.
The adult is later heard saying with a laugh: "That's what you get, guys, when the kids are out of school."
In another exchange, the child says: "MS 4-0-3, contact departure," and then adds: "Adios, amigo."
The pilot responds: "Adios, amigo."
The pilots on the tape appear to be not concerned that a child is giving them instructions.
The incident happened on 17 February, when many New York pupils were on a week-long break.
The age and name of the child and the adult on the audiotape were not immediately known.
'Not indicative' incident
The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement: "Pending the outcome of our investigation, the employees involved in this incident are not controlling air traffic.
"This behaviour is not acceptable and does not demonstrate the kind of professionalism expected from all FAA employees."
The agency did not give any further details.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said the incident was "not indicative of the highest professional standards that controllers set for themselves and exceed each and every day in the advancement of aviation safely".
8 Comments
therealblankmanWhat a incredibly colossal, terrible, stupendous, dumbfounding, incomprehensible case of bad judgement.
jiyanibiBad judgement? Maybe. But I just don't get the outrage I'm hearing from people today on this topic. In all likelihood, some air traffic controller let his kid sit on his lap and either read from a script or whispered to tell him what to say. I see no more harm done here than if the controller was speaking through a voice box to change his pitch to sound like a kid. The kid is just a vehicle for the message between the controller and the pilot. It's not like he's telling the kid how to perform brain surgery here. And, if anything, the pilots clearly displayed no outrage knowing that the parent wouldn't let the child do something if he thought there was any danger involved. Oh well, agree to disagree, I suppose.
SkeeveI absolutely agree.
It's not like this kid was alone and actually directing airplanes, he was saying into a microphone what a qualified air traffic controller was telling him to say.
Just like a cop letting a kid play with his car's siren or a firefighter letting a kid into the firetruck this guy was giving his kid a memory he'll likely cherish for the rest of his life. Give him a break.
>> ^jiyanibi:
Bad judgement? Maybe. But I just don't get the outrage I'm hearing from people today on this topic. In all likelihood, some air traffic controller let his kid sit on his lap and either read from a script or whispered to tell him what to say. I see no more harm done here than if the controller was speaking through a voice box to change his pitch to sound like a kid. The kid is just a vehicle for the message between the controller and the pilot. It's not like he's telling the kid how to perform brain surgery here. And, if anything, the pilots clearly displayed no outrage knowing that the parent wouldn't let the child do something if he thought there was any danger involved. Oh well, agree to disagree, I suppose.
XaxI agree with you guys, except I'm not sure it's a great idea to bring your kid to work when you're trying to direct air traffic. It's not a job where you want to be constantly distracted.
Praetorsays...The correct directions are still the correct directions, regardless of who gives them. The only difference is that it's coming to you in the voice of a child, who is repeating verbatim what he is being told by his parent, who is obviously close enough to make the immediate "school" comment you hear in the conversation.
Incredibly colossal, terrible, stupendous, dumbfounding, incomprehensible case of bad judgement? That doesn't strike you in any way as an over-reaction to a kid saying "Adios, Amigos" after all the correct information has been conveyed?
How do you feel about Mission Control saying, "God Speed, John Glenn" before his takeoff on something far more complicated and dangerous than an airplane? Is that OK since it's an adult saying it?
alizarin... plus the directions are "clear for departure"... hard to mess that one up and cause a crash.
budzosI disagree 100%. Not for one second do I want to be on a plane that's being ATC's by a child. I don't care if he's sitting on daddy's lap.
I fucking hate kids!
Opus_Moderandisays...The planes the kid was directing weren't in the air, they were planes preparing to leave the gate. It's not like there was a chance of a mid-air collision. The only problem I can see here is that all it takes is one uptight asshole to ruin a light-hearted day.
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