Kid controller at JFK

[rodrop]

http://tinyurl.com/yhbxg2e

Kids at the controls, gotta love it

I hope ATC live has it on their archives.

[apiaguy]

why does this have to get blown way out of proportion ... the guy and his supervisor have already been suspended... big deal.. I brought my kid to work and he said like 3 lines into the mic...

[PhotoFlyer]

Here is the audio from LiveATC.net

 

New_KJFK_Controller.mp3

[PlatoNC]

I'd be fine with a supervised child parroting someone in the FBO out at my nowheresville Class E a few minutes every day of the week, but bringing a kid onto the mic at JFK was just dumb, its not a real "issue" in and of itself, but it is a symptom of problems they already have. The media already portrays controllers in such a poor light, especially in the incidents in the past few months, and the last thing they need, aside from a tragedy, is more press about them slacking off.

 

If you want to have fun while controlling at JFK, well, do it when you aren't clearly doing something questionable and being recorded. Doofus.

[adam32]

I laughed when they quoted the FAA and they used "professionalism" and FAA in the same sentence...

[Trans Lift]

He did a better job than some of the controllers I have dealt with!!!!

[badtransam97]

It's rediculous how the media presents this to the non-pilot population as such an "oh crap" situation..I mean seriously, who would actually believe that this kid would know how to issue clearances,..etc? It's obviously being monitored closely by an adult..I admit probably not the smartest thing to do given the general publics ability to freak out over the thought of some "unauthorized" personnel gaining entrance to an ATC facility or something..lol! He did do a good job though!

[Darren Hughes]

Totally blown outta a proportion. The media needs to their jobs, and report on important issues.

[masonkr]

I don't care its still cute, and made me smile as well lol

[Goldy]

It's rediculous how the media presents this to the non-pilot population as such an "oh crap" situation..I mean seriously, who would actually believe that this kid would know how to issue clearances,..etc? It's obviously being monitored closely by an adult..I admit probably not the smartest thing to do given the general publics ability to freak out over the thought of some "unauthorized" personnel gaining entrance to an ATC facility or something..lol! He did do a good job though!

 

Ditto-we all know what a "big" deal it is to get a clearance to depart and switch over to another frequency. (Now the other guy sitting nex to him that is dealing with incoming traffic conflicts...and alerts, thats a whole 'nuther ball game.)

 

Personally, would not have bothered me in the least.

 

Goldy

[AngelFire_91]

Watching CNN earlier the reporter started out with something along the lines of:

 

"JFK, one of the nations busiest airports, and a kid at the controls of air traffic?"

 

No mention of how closely he was being monitored, or how correct his phraseology was... I hate the media for that reason. It makes it sound like someone just let this kid up there and by his own free will was directing planes. I'm sure his "dad" was still controlling, just telling his son what to say. It's no different then me telling my student what to say back to controllers when my student doesn't understand a clearance or something.

 

Also on live ATC there is a Ground control recording of the kid and the tower one that everyone is freaking about... The kid does a spectacular job on the ground control one.

[rodrop]

I thought it was cute. I think the pilots got a kick out of it..probably created a less stressful day for a few of them.

[Miloe]

It wasn't the best idea the guys in the tower could have came up with but still, it's not like they left the kid on the mic while they all went outside and had a smoke or something.

At least, I'm assuming there was someone sitting next to the kid telling him what to say.

[heligirl03]

I totally got a kick out of it and so did everyone involved (e.g. aviation people who knew it was no big deal). The suspensions were completely CYA knee-jerk reactions. If everyone panicked every time something over the mic wasn't perfect, we'd all be doomed. He was obviously mimicking Dad verbatim, the only difference was the sound of his voice. I detest the media for exploiting the facts of every story they present, it's an advertising enterprise not a news-delivering mechanism. And it's the media's fault that guy may be out of a job, for no good reason. The FAA is misguided, there are more immediate concerns to public safety in my backyard.

 

HG03

[RkyMtnHI]

I totally got a kick out of it and so did everyone involved (e.g. aviation people who knew it was no big deal). The suspensions were completely CYA knee-jerk reactions. If everyone panicked every time something over the mic wasn't perfect, we'd all be doomed. He was obviously mimicking Dad verbatim, the only difference was the sound of his voice. I detest the media for exploiting the facts of every story they present, it's an advertising enterprise not a news-delivering mechanism. And it's the media's fault that guy may be out of a job, for no good reason. The FAA is misguided, there are more immediate concerns to public safety in my backyard.

 

HG03

 

well said...

[Gomer Pylot]

The chances of something going wrong are far less at someplace like JFK than at an airport with a lot of general aviation activity. JFK has pretty much only airliners, on canned flight plans, and the pilots know what to expect. They know exactly when to expect to be told to go to departure, and there are no surprises showing up in the traffic pattern. The FAA got some criticism, and felt it had to do something. The FAA always thinks it has to do something after the fact, and almost always does the wrong thing. This is no different.

[Cruzin Chris]

They should of let the kid recored the ATIS. I bet it would be easier to understand than most of them.

[AngelFire_91]

Well...... due to this lovely little fiasco, we used to be able to bring our students up in the tower so they could see what it was like and meet the controllers. Got word today that we no longer are allowed to do that. It's now only CFI's are allowed up there when watching a solo, and our tower guys said it's not their choice, it's a new FAA rule.

[ScottL]

Well...... due to this lovely little fiasco, we used to be able to bring our students up in the tower so they could see what it was like and meet the controllers. Got word today that we no longer are allowed to do that. It's now only CFI's are allowed up there when watching a solo, and our tower guys said it's not their choice, it's a new FAA rule.

Yeah, it was issued as a GENOT... it depends on the tower in question on how they'll interpert the requirements, but basically you have to have a business relationship to the facility to be allowed in.

[Goldy]

Yeah, it was issued as a GENOT... it depends on the tower in question on how they'll interpert the requirements, but basically you have to have a business relationship to the facility to be allowed in.

 

Whats worse than the FAA making a mistake in judgement?

 

Making two mistakes.

 

For students trying to understand what is happening in a tower, spending some time with the controllers was great. Personally, I went up 3 or 4 times and learned something every time. Maybe I can sell them some girl scout cookies or something...so that I have a "business relationship" with them?

 

Think it will fly?

 

Goldy