New York Airport Jets 'directed By Child' Options

[bluebird121]

This is the link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8547875.stm

US officials are investigating how a child was apparently allowed to direct planes at New York's JFK airport - one of the country's busiest.

The probe comes after an audiotape caught the boy directing several pilots preparing for take-off last month.

In one exchange, the boy is heard saying: "JetBlue 171 contact departure." The pilot responds: "Over to departure JetBlue 171, awesome job."

The boy was apparently with his father - a certified air traffic controller.

The adult is later heard saying with a laugh: "That's what you get, guys, when the kids are out of school."

In another exchange, the child says: "MS 4-0-3, contact departure," and then adds: "Adios, amigo."

The pilot responds: "Adios, amigo."

The pilots on the tape appear to be not concerned that a child is giving them instructions.

The incident happened on 17 February, when many New York pupils were on a week-long break.

The age and name of the child and the adult on the audiotape were not immediately known.

'Not indicative' incident

The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement: "Pending the outcome of our investigation, the employees involved in this incident are not controlling air traffic.

"This behaviour is not acceptable and does not demonstrate the kind of professionalism expected from all FAA employees."

The agency did not give any further details.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said the incident was "not indicative of the highest professional standards that controllers set for themselves and exceed each and every day in the advancement of aviation safely".

I am just amazed that this child was even allowed to chat to the pilots whilst they were obviously taking off. I am glad I was not a passenger on the plane. More concerning is that the pilots did not seem to be bothered about him giving them instructions. They seemed to think it was funny. The controller was totally irresponsible even letting him on the intercom. How could he be doing his job properly with that kind of distraction?

[LearCapt]

Wow talk about making a mountain out of a mole-hill.

Sad thing is, if it wasn't for liveATC.net, this wouldn't even be brought up currently. Welcome to 2010, where armchair pilots and controllers know everything. That's the same reason United has so few flights with their once-popular Channel 9 turned om.

Every ATC facility I've been to, both enroute and terminal, have had provisions for two people to sit at one console, a "trainer/trainee" environment, where the trainer could override the trainee if need be. It's not like the kid had any responsibility...the extent of his experience was to listen to day say "tell so and so flight to contact departure" and the kid clicks the button and goes "so and so flight, contact departure". I don't see a terrible amount of extra risk in that.

I'll probably be in the minority here but hearing a kid clear me for takeoff probably woulda brightened by day, and I woulda been the one telling him great job and have a good day on the departure handoff.

[bernoulli]

Wow talk about making a mountain out of a mole-hill.

Sad thing is, if it wasn't for liveATC.net, this wouldn't even be brought up currently. Welcome to 2010, where armchair pilots and controllers know everything. That's the same reason United has so few flights with their once-popular Channel 9 turned om.

Every ATC facility I've been to, both enroute and terminal, have had provisions for two people to sit at one console, a "trainer/trainee" environment, where the trainer could override the trainee if need be. It's not like the kid had any responsibility...the extent of his experience was to listen to day say "tell so and so flight to contact departure" and the kid clicks the button and goes "so and so flight, contact departure". I don't see a terrible amount of extra risk in that.

I'll probably be in the minority here but hearing a kid clear me for takeoff probably woulda brightened by day, and I woulda been the one telling him great job and have a good day on the departure handoff.

Other than potential FCC violations and otherwise ill-advised parenthood, turned out to be no more than lots of fun for a couple of kids and for quite a few gracious pilots.

But were I the one at the hold-short line for a JFK runway, I'd seriously want some verification that my clearance to cross wasn't just issued by some kid on an ICOM handheld somewhere in the terminal.

Kids can be pretty smart.

And yeah, an adult can just as easily do the same as we saw during the Reagan era controller's strike, but hey...

[LearCapt]

But were I the one at the hold-short line for a JFK runway, I'd seriously want some verification that my clearance to cross wasn't just issued by some kid on an ICOM handheld somewhere in the terminal.

On the actual LiveATC clip (of course left out from the news reports), the controller was issuing position and hold calls, then the kiddo was calling cleared for takeoff. So at least you knew getting on the runway was relatively safe. I'd be more concerned about being cleared onto an active runway as opposed to takeoff, but that's personal experience with incursions.

[nianmuzik]

Would you let your child operate a chainsaw even if he/she is supervised? And for those of you who are pilots here, would you let your child operate a commercial jetliner even when supervised?

To some here, I may be out of line but aren't those similar cases of a parent who has a job with tons of responsibility allowing their kid or any other kid to do grown-up stuff even if he has no idea what he/she is doing?

As Bernoulli mentioned, it is actually even more unbelievable that no pilot questioned if the radio transmissions where actually coming from the tower's ATC?

Oh well... I hope I never come across a similar case while flying...

[bernoulli]

On the actual LiveATC clip (of course left out from the news reports), the controller was issuing position and hold calls, then the kiddo was calling cleared for takeoff. So at least you knew getting on the runway was relatively safe. I'd be more concerned about being cleared onto an active runway as opposed to takeoff, but that's personal experience with incursions.

With you 100% here. I was a passenger near the front of an Aeromexico DC-9 while number one for the runway in Houston many years ago. This was back when the cockpit door was left open on takeoff. ATC was on speaker and we all heard the HOLD SHORT, LANDING TRAFFIC directive. Yet, as I watched the hold short line pass beneath us while also watching a Pan Am 727 on short final for the same runway, we all heard the yelling over the speaker from the Tower. Got a very good view up close and personal of a 727 executing a go-around. So yeah, runway incursions such as this have indelibly left it's mark on me.

When I first came across this story, I was scrolling through channels and found it on NBC News while they were playing the audio of the ATC exchange. And you are right. NO context was provided. None.

So thanks for putting it in it's proper context. Was still a bone-headed decision by daddy, though...

[LearCapt]

So thanks for putting it in it's proper context. Was still a bone-headed decision by daddy, though...

To do it at one of the busiest airports in the nation...absolutely.

I don't think it posed the risk the news reports made it out to be, but it was definitely not the smartest move of his career. I do hope he's back on the job instead of let go.

I do find it surprising that nobody else in the tower cab seemed to think it was a big deal.

[bernoulli]

To do it at one of the busiest airports in the nation...absolutely.

I don't think it posed the risk the news reports made it out to be, but it was definitely not the smartest move of his career. I do hope he's back on the job instead of let go.

Agreed!

[bluebird121]

Agreed!

I will second that. I do not think he should lose his job over this. It was a mistake and that should be the end of it. He will have been reprimanded anyway.