[Daruhuw]

http://nydailynews.com (News Section).

www.consumerist.com (to listen to audio).


Another thing sparks a wave of controversy in the air traffic control business. As if you had already seen and heard enough, then along comes THIS news to add even more problems to the already troubled airline industry.

An air traffic controller who works at Kennedy Int'l Airport in NYC has decided to bring his small child with him to work on February 17, 2010 and had let the child direct air traffic.

Audio tape reveals the conversations held between the child and the flights as he or she clears aircraft for take-off and landing and tells flights to contact the depature center. They all acknowlleged and welcomed his direct orders.

One pilot on a flight can be heard congratulating the child, saying; 'Awesome job!" Yet another can be heard saying; "I wish that I could bring MY child to work.". Still another can be heard saying; "This is what you get, guys, when the kids are out of school.". They all knew that the child was there telling them all what to do.

They found it to be kind of amusing, fun and seemed to get a kick out of it! But the FAA is not smiling. It is fuming!

The supervisor and the ATC were both suspended pending the outcome of the investigation into the snafu. Officials are not sure as to whether it's a boy or girl talking to the flights.

Yet another reason not to fly!

[dodsCooggipsehome]

I think that is OK, so long as the kid was not left alone.

It is the classic "sitting in the pilot's seat" kind of thing that they used to do in some airlines.

(Tell me Timmy, have you ever seen a grown man naked?)


If Daddy was telling the kid what to say, and none of these were emergency experiences, I see no problem.

If Jr wants to tighten the spark plug on the engine, fine, let him do it. Just don't let him near the air-hammer.

[Pheddytrourry]

DQ: In the future, please link to the article page, or copy-paste the article. The newspaper home page changes daily, and the link to the article disappears.


FAA not amused as kid gives directions
to pilots in Kennedy Airport's air-traffic control tower
BY Kerry Burke and Leo Standora
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Originally Published:Wednesday, March 3rd 2010, 1:29 AM
Updated: Wednesday, March 3rd 2010, 1:32 AM

Although those involved in the potentially high-risk hijinks at one of the nation's busiest airports seemed to get a kick out of it, the FAA was not laughing.

Employees at the Kennedy Airport air-traffic control tower are under federal investigation for apparently allowing a school-age kid to give directions to pilots.

The youngster, seemingly under adult supervision, makes five transmissions to amused pilots on a tape obtained by Channel 26 in Boston and confirmed as genuine by the Federal Aviation Authority.

One exchange went like this:

JFK TOWER: JetBlue 171 contact departure

PILOT: Over to departure JetBlue 171, awesome job.

A male voice then comes on with a laugh.

JFK TOWER: That's what you get, guys, when the kids are out of school.

Later, the kid clears another pilot for takeoff and says, "Adios, amigo." The pilot responds with the same wish.

Although those involved in the potentially high-risk hijinks at one of the nation's busiest airports seemed to get a kick out of it, the FAA was not laughing.

The control tower is a highly secure area, and the FAA says only licensed controllers are supposed to communicate with planes.

"Pending the outcome of our investigation, the employees involved in this incident are not controlling air traffic," the FAA said in a statement. "This behavior is not acceptable and does not demonstrate the kind of professionalism expected from all FAA employees."

The union that represents air-traffic controllers said the behavior in the tower "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."

It was unclear when the incident occurred.

lstandora@nydailynews.com

[tactWeiccaf]

With all the indignities the FAA and the airlines put their customers through, a high degree of professionalism should be demanded of the group of people (along with the flight crew) that have more impact on passenger safety than anyone else.

This fool should be fired.

[mikefertynnz]

Sorry, but I don't know how to do that.

Haven't had much practice on it.

[valentinesdayyy]

^
If you want to post the link, just take the extra step and bring up the page.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2010...schoolboy.html

If you want to copy the text:

Most articles links have a 'print' or 'printer friendly' button. Click on it, and you get the article in this format.

If you have a PC: Hold down the left mouse button and scan through the text. What you want to copy will be highlighted. Then either 'right-click > copy' or 'edit > copy'.

In the post message box, either 'right click > paste' or 'edit > paste'.

[sydramySweame]

With all the indignities the FAA and the airlines put their customers through, a high degree of professionalism should be demanded of the group of people (along with the flight crew) that have more impact on passenger safety than anyone else.

This fool should be fired.

Sigh...... We have become so dehumanized.

[Enladalusange]

Sorry, but I don't know how to do that.

Haven't had much practice on it.

Give it a shot. Also try the "insert link" icon in the reply tool bar (image of the earth with a chain link); that allows you to imbed an external link. Highlight a word (or words) that you've typed and want to use as reference, then click the icon: a box opens, then paste the http link into the box and click OK. The word(s) you've highlighted becomes the link.

Such as:

FAA not amused as kid gives directions to pilots in Kennedy Airport's air-traffic control tower

Very handy. You'll be hooked once you get the hang of it.

[Cibirrigmavog]

Agreed 195. Like I said, I did not see that much wrong with this. There was no congestion problem or high-stress situation.

If they object to it, they should have just offered a public warning and announcement saying "Hey guys, there was no real problem with this incident, but we would like to draw the line now. No kids should be allowed to direct traffic, no matter how minor the instructions may be. Anyone doing so from now on shall be warned and suspended for XX days, etc etc".

[Fausqueuego]

Sigh...... We have become so dehumanized.

I don't understand how taking your job seriously has become dehumanizing.

Last year, a Delta pilot and co-pilot were "chatting" and flew 100 miles past the Minneapolis approach. They lost their licenses, or should I say, were dehumanized.


March 3, 2010
Contact: Laura Brown
Phone: (202) 267-3883

FAA Statement
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Aviation Administration announced today that two employees at John F. Kennedy Airport Tower are on administrative leave following an incident last month when a child was permitted to talk with pilots on an air traffic control frequency.

“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,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “We have an incredible team of professionals who safely control our nation’s skies every single day. This kind of behavior does not reflect the true caliber of our workforce.”

The two JFK Tower employees, a supervisor and an air traffic controller, are on administrative leave pending the outcome of an official FAA investigation into the incident which is already underway.

In addition, all unofficial visits to FAA air traffic control operational areas, such as towers and radar rooms, will be suspended during the investigation. The FAA Administrator has directed a team to conduct a full-scale review of air traffic control policies and procedures related to facility visitors.

[foI3fKWv]

The control tower is a highly secure area, and the FAA says only licensed controllers are supposed to communicate with planes.

The union that represents air-traffic controllers said the behavior in the tower "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."

It was unclear when the incident occurred.

Not reassuring.

[DoctoNilsonDen]

An investigation is underway. The FAA is taking appropriate measures to ensure the rules are followed, and that any (hard-earned) lessons from this event are fully absorbed into the Agency's corporate culture. I for one do not expect recurrence, at any facility, but hey--you never know -- people are people, and people from time to time do dumb and inexplicable things. Any FAA manager could wake up, tomorrow, and find himself or herself in a predicament such as this, regardless of what proactive measures were taken in an effort to prevent dumb behavior.

Before any disciplinary action in the federal service is proposed, it is important to establish the facts. Should the investigation show that one or more FAA employees need to be disciplined, the employees need to be able to tell their side of the story, respond verbally and/or via written form to any proposed disciplinary action, and in all be afforded DUE PROCESS: 1. as human beings, 2. as federal employees, 3. as members of the NATCA bargaining unit (if applicable,) and 4. as prescribed by law.

As a nation, and as a people, we seem to have lost the ability to laugh at ourselves. We are quick to chop people's heads off, often to satisfy political expediency or to keep CNN at bay, and we have millions and millions of people behind bars. Sensationalized news stories add fuel to what otherwise would be small brush fires, quickly extinguished. Our current political and cultural climate turns my stomach. So there, I said it.

Should the investigation confirm a serious lapse in judgment, and that the employee(s) were guilty of just being stupid, a stern warning and "If you pull a stunt like that again, I'll have your head" might be sufficient. But could that happen in this America? In 2010? Don't count on it.

[QvhhbjLy]

As a nation, and as a people, we seem to have lost the ability to laugh at ourselves. We are quick to chop people's heads off, often to satisfy political expediency

The only thing political here seems to be your post.

[Enjoymms]

JFK air traffic controller let not one, but TWO kids direct planes: officials

BY Rich Schapiro
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, March 3rd 2010, 5:50 PM



The Kennedy Airport air traffic controller who brought his son to work and let him direct several planes let a second child do the same thing, officials said. HEAR AUDIO BELOW.






The Kennedy Airport air traffic controller who brought his son to work and let him direct several planes let a second child do the same thing the next day, officials said Wednesday.
An initial investigation by the Federal Aviation Authority revealed that the unidentified controller's second child gave directions to two separate planes on Feb. 17.

The revelations emerged a day after the controller and his supervisor were suspended over the Feb. 16 incident.
On that day, the controller's young son made a total of five transmissions to pilots operating four separate aircrafts.

"JetBlue 171 cleared for takeoff," the boy says in his first call.
His dad then gave more detailed instructions to the pilot and said: "This is what you get, guys, when the kids are out of school."
The pilots were amused. But the stunt infuriated regulators.

"This lapse in judgment not only violated FAA's own policies, but common sense standards for professional conduct," FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said Wednesday.

"These kinds of distractions are totally unacceptable."
The union that represents air traffic controllers also criticized the controller's judgement.

[maclaudser]

I don't understand how taking your job seriously has become dehumanizing.

Last year, a Delta pilot and co-pilot were "chatting" and flew 100 miles past the Minneapolis approach. They lost their licenses, or should I say, were dehumanized.

Question. Who flew 100 miles past the approach this time?

Also, what collision nearly happened because of this?

How many were delayed?

How much money did the act cost the company?



It is an over reaction. It should not be encouraged,but calling for people's heads over something as small as this is not the logical thing to do.

[Louthcoombutt]

^

Reactive is better than proactive?

Policy regarding safety standards shouldn't be driven by the result. If there was a collision, we'd all be screaming for criminal indictments.

"No harm no foul" may work in the NBA, but not places like air traffic control.

[Jadykeery]

Question. Who flew 100 miles past the approach this time?

Also, what collision nearly happened because of this?

How many were delayed?

How much money did the act cost the company?



It is an over reaction. It should not be encouraged,but calling for people's heads over something as small as this is not the logical thing to do.

Agreed. The pilots seemed to get a kick out of it and didn't get fazed. I'm not condoning it either, but surely it was just a bit of father-son bonding, which is perhaps what it would have been seen as in less paranoia-prone days.

[sStevenRitziI]

If there was a collision...

There wasn't.

[RokgroofeTeme]

There wasn't.

So you think that a reactive policy is preferable to a proactive one?

[BonjGopu]

^ No. I just think it's unfortunate that society is IMO far too what-if driven and overreacts to situations like this.

Edit: I also think "Small Child Directs Air Traffic" is overstating things a bit. It's not as if he was on his own and/or doing it for a lengthy period of time.