Both. The FAA is going to hang this guy and the only reason it is going to happen is because the media made a public fuss. If the media hadnt made a fuss life would go on as usual. So for that reason I detest the FAA because their standards are only applied when being watched or commented on. Some story hungry reporter is going to likely crash a career to sell a few papers. It is a shame. The kid did a pretty good job. He didn't give the winds but other than that A OK in my book!
2010-03-03, 01:00 PM
NIKV69
Re: Kid giving instruction over ATC JFK
Kid took over the tower? Hardly but it was a dumb move. Hope he doesn't get fired but he should lose some pay.
2010-03-03, 01:13 PM
Idlewild
Re: Kid giving instruction over ATC JFK
My guess is the FAA is scared of another Aeroflot Flight 593-like debacle. I don't think a peep would have been heard if let's say this happened at a slow airport such as Wilkes-Barre. But you can't expect to get away, orat the last, not hear about it if you put your kid on any of the Tr-State airports. Especially JFK.
2010-03-03, 01:33 PM
m.marra
Re: Bring you Kids to Work Day at JFK Tower
Quote:
Originally Posted by FlyingColors
Quote:
Originally Posted by emshighway
I think the kid did a great job and the ATCs involved obviously were in total control. Unfortunately they will be hung out to dry by the FAA. People are just too tight assed on every little thing now. This may be one time LiveATC did the people they follow a dis-service because that is where everyone is getting the feed from.
Ditto:
And I'm sure the guys in the tower as well in the jetliners had a brighter day hearing a kid take some interest in their industry.
What a shame.
Such a sick twisted world we live in today.
I let my kids visit me at work while I'm working on a truck- that does not mean an 8 year old is repairing and engine for a customer on his own. Just crazy.
With parks being shut down and the like I guess the only things left for kids are video games, over eating and drugs. No place left for them to let the wonder of the big world run free.
I'm sure this put a smile on everyone’s face after that. I think this is BS. Now if the controller had stepped away from the console then this would be another story, but he didn't and obviously he was standing right there watching the kid. Personally, I think the kid did an outstanding job. It's ashamed that in today’s society there is no room for a little humor. Even as a RR professional we get reprimanded for the occasional non-professional radio remarks.
I think the media is the ones to blame for blowing this out of proportion and drilling it to the public that an actual child had taken over the control tower. I think in a stressful environment such as JFK, this was huge relief to anyone listening and just made their day for them.
Respectfully,
2010-03-03, 03:01 PM
NYARTCCFAN
Re: Kid giving instruction over ATC JFK
Shouldn't the FAA be worrying about the way the aircraft are kept up to date and how maintainence is conducted on the planes and put into effect better procedures on repairing these aircraft. Oh I forgot its the FAA we are talking about. Man have we bocome an anal country about the littlest things.
2010-03-03, 05:09 PM
Matt Molnar
Re: Kid giving instruction over ATC JFK
Sorry, it's cute to hear this kid, and we're all a little bit jealous of him, but it was absolutely wrong to do it and whoever is responsible needs to be punished.
Controllers make enough mistakes without the distraction of having kids around. A controller who is taking the time to recite instructions of what the kid should say and then waiting for him to repeat (and hopefully not mangle) those instructions to aircraft carrying hundreds of people means the controller is not 100% intuned to his job. Had there been a runway incursion or some other emergency, there could have been critical seconds lost as the controllers are heard laughing it up in the tower.
2010-03-03, 06:33 PM
emshighway
Re: Kid giving instruction over ATC JFK
FAA investigating a second incident the next day involving the same controller but a different child. two transmissions were made.
2010-03-03, 07:01 PM
Tom_Turner
Re: Kid giving instruction over ATC JFK
Its the FAA's call. They can do whatever they want. I want to caution everyone from expressing any opinions or opening up discussion to anything contrary to what the FAA decides. They may not get everything right, but they have a big job to do and we owe them our support.
oh wait... wrong forum.... sorry... :wink:
Tom
2010-03-03, 07:29 PM
Speedbird1
Re: Kid giving instruction over ATC JFK
How about the guy who drove an MTA train to its terminal with no experience? What about kids who drive their dad's car and who crash? I am ambivalent about this. Since these brothers were supervised by their ATC certified dad it's not so bad. But are you guys sure that a real ATC was telling the kid exactly what to say? I feel that this is not a good precedent. The controllers involved should be reprimanded but not fired. We all like a good joke but this could have been disastrous.
2010-03-03, 07:49 PM
Speedbird1
Re: Kid giving instruction over ATC JFK
I learned the name of the controller who had his sons clear the aircraft for take-off on Feb.16-17. It must have been "Take your child to work week". I don't know if I should reveal his name. I can say that he resides in Suffolk County. Imagine if a neurosurgeon used his son to remove a tumor!
2010-03-03, 07:52 PM
hiss srq
Re: Kid giving instruction over ATC JFK
Do not reveal his name on a public forum. Absolutely not. Do not share it with anyone if you know it as well.
2010-03-03, 08:04 PM
moose135
Re: Kid giving instruction over ATC JFK
Quote:
Originally Posted by GothamSpotter
Sorry, it's cute to hear this kid, and we're all a little bit jealous of him, but it was absolutely wrong to do it and whoever is responsible needs to be punished.
Exactly! You want to bring your kid to work to see what goes on in the tower, great, but letting him on the radio? Sorry, that's way over the line.
2010-03-03, 08:06 PM
LGA777
Re: Kid giving instruction over ATC JFK
One thing I don't like about what the controller did is he put his coworkers and supv in harms way career wise. I would like to think at least some of the other controllers in the cab on these 2 nights where uncomfortable that the children where on the radio but where reluctant to say anything to stop it. Nothing wrong with having the kids their for a visit, just not taking the visit so far.
LGA777
2010-03-03, 08:42 PM
Futterman
Re: Kid giving instruction over ATC JFK
Good point, Ron.
You have to wonder how it played out, however. The supervisor may have encouraged all of this to take place. Maybe not. Does it even matter?
Also, I realize that controlling at JFK is unique, but I don't think the risks of having a kid key the mic are really that extraordinary. Student pilots of ALL ages talk over the radio with less finesse and calm than the controller's son did here, and any foul-ups in the practice area with a 172 can be just disastrous since, when I fly, I rely on ATC as well as other pilots' transmissions for situational awareness.
So if the public goes at this with pitchforks and torches in the name of safety, I can only imagine what they'll do when they find out that their quiet neighborhood GA airports are actually alive with fledgling student pilots, many of whom may even be younger than the controller's son.
Brian
2010-03-03, 08:48 PM
Speedbird1
Re: Kid giving instruction over ATC JFK
I won't reveal the ATC's name but it was revealed by Katy Couric this evening on the CBS Evening News so it's not such a well-guarded secret. His name will probably be published in tomorrows' papers. Incidentally, the closure of JFK's Rwy 31L/13R was shown on all the network newscasts last night.