More Nanny State schtuff

[djg0770 481]

The Kennedy Airport air traffic controller who brought his son to work and let him direct several planes let a second child do the same thing the next day, officials said Wednesday.

 

An initial investigation by the Federal Aviation Authority revealed that the unidentified controller's second child gave directions to two separate planes on Feb. 17.

 

The revelations emerged a day after the controller and his supervisor were suspended over the Feb. 16 incident.

 

On that day, the controller's young son made a total of five transmissions to pilots operating four separate aircrafts.

 

"JetBlue 171 cleared for takeoff," the boy says in his first call.

 

His dad then gave more detailed instructions to the pilot and said: "This is what you get, guys, when the kids are out of school."

 

The pilots were amused. But the stunt infuriated regulators.

 

"This lapse in judgment not only violated FAA's own policies, but common sense standards for professional conduct," FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said Wednesday.

 

"These kinds of distractions are totally unacceptable."

 

The union that represents air traffic controllers also criticized the controller's judgement.

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nationa ... z0hAzbUKGd

 

So, bring your kids to work, but don't let them do any of the work you actually do, that will really make them understand what you do... WAIT - my father should be arrested, after all, I got to drive a forklift with him when I was probably 5 years old.

[XDJohnTact 49]

Personally, I think it is a shame that they are going to hang this guy out to dry. His kids did not talk to any planes in the air and he was right there telling them what to say. I bet his boss is a goner too. Two freeking days on every network newscast.

[Malsua 1,422]

The whole thing is silly. He told them what to say.

 

Now, on some level, I agree that this shouldn't have happened, but the two day witch hunt in the media demands blood and blood they will have.

[NJ609 22]

Yeah, nobody should think having the kid do this was the most responsible thing to do but come on.... This country has gotten out of control with this nanny state crap. If this happened in 1960 there would be a news article about how adorable it was for the father to get the kid into the "family business".

[tbtrout 141]

Just stick of fork in it, we're done.

[bry@n 195]

I wonder who ratted the guy out though. Somebody woulda had to say something. It's not like they just look over tapes unless there is an issue.

[chefhunter34 1]

It would all be different if the guy was black, cause sharpton would be there to defend him... all would be well in the world!!

 

Shame the media cannot use it's powers for good stuff...

[tony357 386]

That is a shame, seems to me the controller had everything in order and all went as planned..

 

If they did not want participation they should not have let the kid their in the first place..

[coldsolderjoint 84]

The scare the media is trying to portray is pathetic. No planes where in danger, the controller was right there telling the kid what to say.

 

Yes, it was somewhat unprofessional, and yes, he probably broke the rules. It's not like the supervisor or other controllers didn't know about it.

 

Suspend him and the supervisor for a few days and get on with important issues.

[njpilot 671]

The controllers have a pretty strong union, so they probably won't lose their jobs. I agree this wasn't the smartest thing to do, but I have seen and heard controllers themselves make some bad mistakes in giving instructions, these kids didn't.

 

After the Aug crash on the Hudson between a sightseeing helicopter and a light fixed-wing coming out of Teterboro while the TEB controller was on the phone, I think the Feds are a little sensitive to bad publicity of improper procedures.

[1911Fan 1]

Personally, I think it is a shame that they are going to hang this guy out to dry. His kids did not talk to any planes in the air and he was right there telling them what to say. I bet his boss is a goner too. Two freeking days on every network newscast.

 

+1

I thought the audio was awesome (but I'm a dad with a heart in my chest).

 

As far as the endless coverage.....This is how they cover up the health care sucking polls they try so hard to make come out looking good for King Obama.

[rscalzo 3]

Suspension, yes. Termination , no. ATC isn't a place to let kids run around playing. It's way too demanding a job. While they do allow tours, they are restricted to watching..

 

I'd like to know where this guy's supervisor was and what he was thinking? Letting the kids watch daddy work is fine but start allowing them to actually issue atc directives? What were the aircrew's thinking and did it divert them from their job of commanding the aircraft. It was a stupid stunt but after the media dies down he'll get a few days off and be back to work.

[tbtrout 141]

This is probably something that has gone on for years. Dad was there making sure all is well and the kid had fun. No one hurt, a controlled situation and if something were to go wrong the Dad is there to take over again.

[rscalzo 3]

if something were to go wrong the Dad is there to take over again.

 

After there's a problem? You want your family's flight being controlled by some kids in a tower playing Flight Simulator with daddy?

 

I've seen a midair and it happens in a heartbeat. Years back a friend was a controller handling local NYC aircraft when there was one over TEB. Saying seconds mattered was an exaggeration.

[bbk 188]

I do think it is wildly unprofessional and the consequences are necessary. From the people I talked to regarding this matter, the ones who actually flew a good amount for business or whatnot were pretty concerned. The casual consumers didn't really think about it much. I feel this is probably the case.

[XDJohnTact 49]

My understanding was the kid only talked to planes that were stationary, on the ground, waiting to take off?

[njpilot 671]

My understanding was the kid only talked to planes that were stationary, on the ground, waiting to take off?

 

 

Correct John. Now that's not to say something bad could have happened. A few accidents and a few near misses have occured when a controller cleared an aircraft for take-off, forgetting or not realizing that the previously landed aircraft hadn't cleared the runway or that another taxiing aircraft was crossing the runway downfield and hadn't cleared yet.

 

I have been a working pilot for more than 20 years, most of that time in the NYC area. It is the busiest airspace in the world and has ssome of the best controllers. Teterboro is a training tower and I have seen some slow acting controllers and they have had their share of close calls with aircraft cleared to land or tak-off while one is on the intersecting runway.

 

I hear what rscalzo is saying, it doesn't take much for an accident to happen. JFK is a very busy tower at times. I fly in there pretty regularly and sometimes you can't get a word in on the radio and other times you could fall asleep it's so quiet. We really don't know the airport traffic conditions at the time of this incident! Was it smart, no. Was it reckless, not necessary, depends on the situation.