JFK Tower Under a child control

[MERV]

At JFK a child played ATC controller. What you think should happen to controller who allow this?

It has small article and video.
http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/traffic/traffic...-tower-20100302

 

[FWAAA]

From listening to the audio, it's apparent that the kid did a great job. He sounds bright and enthusiastic.

Still, allowing kids to broadcast air traffic control instructions isn't something we want to encourage. The next time a kid transmits, something bad might happen due to misunderstanding or mistake by the child in repeating the dad's instructions. I'd say couple weeks suspension for the controller and supervisor.

 

[SBN580]

CBS News Report on this topic

Speaking as someone who, as a child, would have been thrilled to have talked to a pilot like this.... When I worked at Edwards AFB, every time I was able to say, "Eddie Ground, NASA Mobile TV-2 Request permission to cross the approach end of Runway 22 from north to south," or something like that, I got a thrill. To be there, and be working at an airfield and all. The child in me just welled back up. I was a professional at all times, but it was still a thrill to be doing what I dreamed of doing as a child, working with airplanes and at an airport or air force base.

In one CBS report, reporter Harry Smith asks the "aviation expert," "Is there something wrong with the (FAA) culture?" Harry was correct about the wrong culture. The American culture has become so paranoid, defensive and vindictive, it is always seeing menace in its own shadow and then shouting to crucify. Was it an FAA violation? Yes. Did he say anything wrong on the mike? No. He repeated the exact words he should have said as his dad instructed.

If he had said, "Hey Mr. Pilot! How are you," or something else inappropriate, that would have been bad. As it happened, he did not. Would I want this to be happening every day? No. Is this the end of "Take your child to work day," in many places in America? Oh I am sure fearful lawyers and management in many fields will think, "Dang. We'd better stop doing that. Something bad might happen. We might get sued."

I bet the dad gets fired and the child will not remember the day he got to see dad's work and for a moment do what he did. He will remember how he got his dad fired for saying something to a pilot.

 

[AstroLounge]

From listening to the audio, it's apparent that the kid did a great job. He sounds bright and enthusiastic.

Still, allowing kids to broadcast air traffic control instructions isn't something we want to encourage. The next time a kid transmits, something bad might happen due to misunderstanding or mistake by the child in repeating the dad's instructions. I'd say couple weeks suspension for the controller and supervisor.

Are You kidding Me or WHAT? Or are You a distant relative of the idiot controller himself? The moron needs to be FIRED for complete negligence and maybe the Supervisor given time off or reassigned. It is people like You that want to be "understanding" and "politically correct" when a situation C-L-E-A-R-L-Y has a Right or Wrong answer. Hell, I would even suspend the stupid Jetblue Pilot that had the nerve to say "Awesome Job!"......IF You can't see the seriousness of the situation than I wouldn't lift a finger to assist You in the midst of a Cardiac Arrest. People like You are insignificant in THIS World and I certainly wouldn't miss You either. STUPID is STUPID..........and this Clown (Mister Daddy) needs to PAY a B-I-G Price for his LACK of Judgement! PERIOD!

 

[Bob Owens]

Are You kidding Me or WHAT? Or are You a distant relative of the idiot controller himself? The moron needs to be FIRED for complete negligence and maybe the Supervisor given time off or reassigned. It is people like You that want to be "understanding" and "politically correct" when a situation C-L-E-A-R-L-Y has a Right or Wrong answer. Hell, I would even suspend the stupid Jetblue Pilot that had the nerve to say "Awesome Job!"......IF You can't see the seriousness of the situation than I wouldn't lift a finger to assist You in the midst of a Cardiac Arrest. People like You are insignificant in THIS World and I certainly wouldn't miss You either. STUPID is STUPID..........and this Clown (Mister Daddy) needs to PAY a B-I-G Price for his LACK of Judgement! PERIOD!

FWAAA and I rarely agree, but we do here. No I'm not related other than I work at JFK as well. A slap on the wrist and lets move on. The loss of a couple of weeks pay is enough of a deterant to keep it from happening again since some are making such a big deal about it.

It was ground control on a clear day, the planes are lining up for takeoff and rolling along at 20MPH, its not like they were in flight. The have visual contact with other aircraft so its not like two planes passing each other at 1000mph where they go from you cant see them to they are right on top of you. Have you ever taxiied an aircraft at JFK? If not then you dont know what you are talking about. Its not a big deal, there are plenty of airports across the country where they have no ground control at all and in the middle of the night when you call they simply say "proceed as requested". Nobody was put in any danger as the kid wasnt making decisions he was repeating what he was told. I think most of the crews found it refreshing, something to put a smile on their face as they begin their day. Ground conrol is more about preventing a trafic jam than anything else.