FAA investigating JFK air traffic controllers allowing child to direct pilots

[Caveman]

Total non issue?!

Safety may not have been compromised, and the idea of taking your kid to work may be cool. But this is the post 9/11 world, and this occured at JFK, not some GA airport in rural Kansas. There are things that common sense dictate that you just do not do. The fact that an air traffic controller did not have the judgement to realize that this would get out, and heads would roll over this, is what is the most scary. I am constantly amazed at the number of people who can't think more than 30 seconds ahead.

Anything after the first sentence is hyperbole and selfrighteous BS. Your inability to see this event as harmless really is scary. I question your judgement. Apply for a job with the feds. You'll fit right in.

 

[jonjuan]

"But Jim Baker,a retired chief pilot at Delta airlines with forty years of experience, says lives hang on every transmission and this raises safety concerns.

"I have never ever heard a small kid in the tower giving instructions for an airplane to take off or cross a runway or any kind of instructions" says Baker."

Agreed- just think of the safety implications if the pilots asked the kid for a wind check on departure. Lives could have been compromised.

 

[Dornier 335]

Total non issue?!

Safety may not have been compromised, and the idea of taking your kid to work may be cool. But this is the post 9/11 world, and this occured at JFK, not some GA airport in rural Kansas. There are things that common sense dictate that you just do not do. The fact that an air traffic controller did not have the judgement to realize that this would get out, and heads would roll over this, is what is the most scary. I am constantly amazed at the number of people who can't think more than 30 seconds ahead.

I disagree. First of all, the tower visit has to be approved by the supervisor. If the workload is low (for JFK anyway), and the kid being monitored by ATC, why can't there be a "real-life" experience?

Time to monitor the FSDOs !!!

 

[Stifler's Mom]

When I've had kids visit the cockpit during boarding, I let them say hello to their parents over the PA. Should I fill out an ASAP for this now?

 

[Caveman]

When I've had kids visit the cockpit during boarding, I let them say hello to their parents over the PA.

Great idea! Mind if I steal it?

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Great idea! Mind if I steal it?

Nope, I usually tell the kids to tell their parents that they are going to be the ones flying too. Usually gets a good laugh from the back.

 

[Dornier 335]

I'd like to know if there's a FAR prohibiting what happened @ JFK.

If there isn't I bet the FAA is gonna pull their favorite "careless and reckless" FAR...

I like to apply it to the FEDs too, when they leave the building @ 4 pm.

 

[Skyboy722]

This is COMPLETELY a NON-EVENT. It is outrageous to think that safety was compromised in any way here. It's like someone said, the guy didn't just leave his kid there and go on break. He was plugged in just like the supervisors do...

And........he probably changed the kids life that day. I can trace my whole career, heck, my whole LIFE back to when I was that kid's age and someone took me under thier wing, and probably bent the rules to do so.

I thought it was cool as he11....

 

[Abernathy]

Agreed- just think of the safety implications if the pilots asked the kid for a wind check on departure. Lives could have been compromised.

Seriously. Also, I gotta say, the controller is a complete fool for not thinking this would come back and bite him in the a** somehow.

Also, kid didn't skip a beat on any of those calls. Nicely done.

 

[a320drivr]

Probably some geek who camps out on liveatc 24/7 and has no life.

Probably a BOB.

 

[KCPilot]

"But Jim Baker,a retired chief pilot at Delta airlines with forty years of experience, says lives hang on every transmission and this raises safety concerns.

"I have never ever heard a small kid in the tower giving instructions for an airplane to take off or cross a runway or any kind of instructions" says Baker."

Agreed- just think of the safety implications if the pilots asked the kid for a wind check on departure. Lives could have been compromised.

You do know there is more than ONE headset/mic plug-in in the tower?? Maybe you should go tour an ATC facility sometime. This is a total non-issue and if there was any type of emergency, I'm positive the kids would have been pushed back if not taken out of the tower. What a bunch of BS this story is!

 

[clr4theapch]

clr4theapch, you do know we are talking about the FAA here right? They get a "mental" hard-on when it comes to investigating and violating people. Don't count on them for more important issues ....

Edit:

Any controllers out here? Is it a violation to let someone repeat instructions over the frequency if that person is being monitored?

Hey, I never said the controller was smart... he put his license and career on the line along with the twr sup... but it is NYC... cut from another fabric... I think the kid did fine.. and I'm sure it will change his life.. as I already alluded too.

 

[OurMoney1]

This is ridiculous. Kids need role models in this country and not the Tiger Woods of the world. We need more father son mentoring and less big brother throwing yellow flags.

There is no foul here, more tax dollars spent by the FAA to burn red tape and launch investigations while big problems are left to fester.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Blame it on lawyers.

 

[NEDude]

Listen, let me clear things up here from my previous post.

I do not think safety was compromised. I think the idea of showing a kid how ATC works is fine, and if the situation was controlled, I do not have an issue with it.

What I take issue with is the fact that the controller did not have the ability to stop and think about the potential end results of what he was about to do. Everyone on here knows that ATC transmissions out of a busy airport like JFK are monitored, recorded and posted on the internet. That is widely known outside of aviation as well. I guess I am weird in that I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to stop and think for a few seconds about the potential consequences. At best case it shows very poor judgement on his part, at worst he violated some pretty serious security procedures.

And yes, this kid will have his life changed by this. His dad is suspended from his job and could face some potentially serious consequences for this. And that will no doubt affect the kid as well.