Breaking news: air traffic controller suspended after son directs planes
NEW YORK -- As travelers, many of us take flights anytime we travel and in doing that we assume (or hope) all is well with the plane, the pilots and the control tower. But what would a traveler think about a control tower being run by a child? They might not be quite so keen to travel then.
Yet that’s what happened at New York’s JFK airport when a young child was allowed to give instructions to the pilots.
The FAA officer and his supervisor have now been suspended.
Many would say it was all done in a light-hearted spirit and was just used to entertain the little boy who had some time off from school. Anyone who is a parent would understand that the parent was just helping the boy understand what his dad does on a daily basis on a kind of “bring your child to work” day.
Others say you can’t mess around with planes during a busy travel time - people’s lives could be at stake. And all this did happen during one of JFK’s busiest times.
"I wish I could bring my kid to work," is what one pilot said in response to the child being allowed to talk to pilots on the radio.
The five recordings of the child telling the pilots they were cleared for take-off were posted on the Internet and were subsequently posted on a Boston TV station. In each case, the pilots responded jovially to the child’s voice.
Instructions on what to say to the pilots were given to the child by his father, who was supervising him the whole time. At no time did the little boy tell the aircraft where to go or how to maneuver.
But the FAA sees it differently.
"This lapse in judgment not only violated FAA's own policies, but common sense standards for professional conduct. These kinds of distractions are totally unacceptable," FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said in a statement. "This kind of behavior does not reflect the true caliber of our work force."
The FAA has now banned any unofficial visits by friends or relatives to FAA air traffic operational areas during its current review.
Travelers no doubt want to know what kind of conversations were taking place.
"JetBlue 171 cleared for takeoff," says the little boy in his first call.
His now suspended father follows that up with a more detailed instruction for the aircraft, which was headed to Sacramento, California. He then gives this explanation to pilots on the air: "This is what you get, guys, when the kids are out of school."
In a second exchange, the boy instructs the same JetBlue flight to contact departure controllers. The pilot responds: "Over to departure JetBlue 171, awesome job!"
Neither the name of the suspended controller nor the supervisor has been released.
The union representing air traffic controllers would like the traveling public to know that it has condemned the worker's behavior.
"It is not indicative of the highest professional standards that controllers set for themselves and exceed each and every day in the advancement of aviation safety," the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said in a statement.
As world travelers we take airline and FAA issues seriously, but what do YOU think as a traveler? Do you think this has all been blown out of proportion and that it was just a harmless bit of entertainment for a small boy, closely supervised, or do you think serious issues were at stake here?
Does it warrant the father and the supervisor being suspended or even losing their jobs?
Feel free to leave a comment.
For a video on the incident, see the video below.
For a slideshow of the Christmas Day bomber, after which travelers are understandably extra sensitive to airline issues, see the slide show below.
For more airline articles by this Examiner, see the links in the sidebox above.
Re travel: most San Franciscans can find travel deals online at www.kayak.com. They can be assured that the FAA runs to the strictest of standards on their flights, in and out of the country. San Franciscans will find the SFO airport convenient and offering the most up to date facilities.
Comments
I heard this report on the news. Did the air traffic controller actually think no one would notice?
Safety first, YES. But from the first moment I heard the audio, I knew the father was right there TELLING THE CHILD WHAT TO SAY. I thought he handled it well, assuring whomever was listening that he, the father, was in charge. I think this is TOTALLY blown out of proportion. Yes, flight controlling is serious business, and I am a fearful flier. I am very sure, has any difficulties occurred, the transition would have been seamless and instantaneous.
Thank you for this story.
It was actually kind of funny if it wasn't so serious -- the boy sounds so earnest on the tape!
Seriously? It's one of those situations where 'if anything had happened' and sometimes it does, the poor kid would have been scarred for life, Dad would be in jail, etc. Not worth the risk - common sense should have told dad, 'tell him to play with his Droid.'
I'm sure the father was right next to him and instructing him all the way.
Apprenticeship always begins at a young age. And, we hardly have apprenticeship opportunities to youths nowadays, which is too bad. Safety first, of course. When the father was next to the child, the father acted responsibly . However, the question here is: shouldn't the father have asked his supervisor for approval first? This is called professional courtesy.
Your article just adds to blowing this incident out of proportion. You mentioned the tower being run by a child? And then use a link to one of your articles about airline bombers???
This is an experienced air traffic controller and father!
As the wife to an ATC, our kids have gone to work with their Dad. One of them even plans to become an ATC when he gets a bit older. While he hasn't let them talk to live traffic, there is a training room where they can pretend to talk to live traffic, but had the opportunity presented itself, he woud have. That aside, this was not an uncontrolled situation. When instructions are read to pilots, pilots then read them back. Helps to clarify that it was relayed correctly. From my own knowledge of how ATC works and hearing my husband speak of work, this child would NOT have been allowed in a busy situation or one in which planes are close together and could hit. People who don't work in ATC or know of people who work ATC are clueless.
not that big of deal - change the rules to ban future visitors and just move on.
Maybe a bad judgement call, but i don't think anyone was in danger with the Dad right there.
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