The media is at it again.....

[Captain4242]

CNN reporting that a controller in JFK let his child clear airplanes for takeoff a couple of weeks ago. It is clearly a youngster's voice on the tapes; even remarking about "bring your child to work day". As long as traffic was light, and good VFR weather, and the controller was watching and listening to EVERYTHING the kid did, what harm was really done? The kid is probably envied at his school. Even some of the departing planes worked nicely with the kid..."Good job", one said.

I have a family member who works in the media...she's been lying through her teeth since she was 9. That's why she's a good jounalist

 

[Flyin2low]

As long as traffic was light, and good VFR weather, and the controller was watching and listening to EVERYTHING the kid did, what harm was really done?

What if the kid cleared AeroMex for takeoff, before dad was ready to, and a near miss occurred with another aircraft?

 

[stupidpilot]

I'm sure the dad was controlling the transmit button. Come on, you gotta do better than that.

 

[clr4theapch]

More on this non-event on the majors board..

 

[OurMoney1]

This is ridiculous. Kids need role models in this country and not the Tiger Woods of the world.

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.

 

[WSurf]

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/tape-reveals-child-directing-air-traffic-at-jfk-airport/19381218?icid=main|main|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fnation%2Farticle%2Ftape-reveals-child-directing-air-traffic-at-jfk-airport%2F19381218

You can hear the transmission! He even told AeroMexico Adios when switchin' him to departure!!!
Funny!! Good stuff!

 

[IslandDriver]

As A pilot....there was nothing done wrong. I think it is great that the dad was able to do this. I wish I could take my dad or my son when he gets older on the jumpseat with me.

Like the other post said...kids need roll models and I think it was great that he was able to see his dad at work.

My Dad was a firefighter...I talked on the radio there when I was a kid...even rode along to a call or two.

 

[jak378]

Another non-event overplayed by the media. Now watch all the hand wringing by the government trying to crucify the controller. You can "what if" this to death, like: what if the kid made a mistake, what if the dad wasn't paying attention, and son ad infinitum, but the fact is the kid did not make a mistake and apparently dad did pay close attention. What a lot of nonsense over nothing. No harm, no foul.

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

As a controller, yeah, no biggie as long as pops is there to tell him what to do. On another note, as a pilot.....i would question the transmission. If I heard that at a busy airport I would think some kid had a transceiver near by and I would wonder what the hell was going on. Not completely related but dad thought it was okay to put his son in the captain seat on Aeroflot. We all remember what happened there?

 

[jak378]

It is valid point about a pilot hearing the kid's voice and believing it to be someone playing games. On the other hand, as long as the transmissions were approptiate to what was going at the moment, confusion should be minimal. That was obviously the case here.