Child Directs Air Traffic At JFK

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  • crokett
    The Full Monte
    • Jan 2003
    • 10627
    • Mebane, NC, USA.
    • Ryobi BT3000

    #1

    Child Directs Air Traffic At JFK

    Linky-Doo:
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_483559.html

    Audio is at the end of the article. No, this is not a stunt.
    David

    The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment.
  • natausch
    Established Member
    • Aug 2009
    • 436
    • Aurora, IL
    • BT3000 - 15A

    #2
    I wonder if there's an operation to give America back our sense of humor.

    Comment

    • Shep
      Senior Member
      • Nov 2008
      • 710
      • Columbus, OH
      • Hitachi C10FL

      #3
      I would hire the kid. Sounds like he know's what he's doing.
      -Justin


      shepardwoodworking.webs.com


      ...you can thank me later.

      Comment

      • Uncle Cracker
        The Full Monte
        • May 2007
        • 7091
        • Sunshine State
        • BT3000

        #4
        I'm certain there was no malicious intent, but a control tower is no place for any kind of shenanigans. This can absolutely not be condoned.

        Comment

        • cabinetman
          Gone but not Forgotten RIP
          • Jun 2006
          • 15216
          • So. Florida
          • Delta

          #5
          Probably the son of a now out of work ATC.
          .

          Comment

          • LCHIEN
            Super Moderator
            • Dec 2002
            • 21996
            • Katy, TX, USA.
            • BT3000 vintage 1999

            #6
            just saw that on the evening news. they said the ATC and his supervisor were suspended.

            Sounded like the kid did an OK job he took it seriously and enunciated clearly what he was obviously told to say - just made four short insturctions on the radio over a span of 2 minutes - It was not a steady chatter, the pilot acknowledged the command by repeating it, and there was clearly a chance for the dad to correct it if he said something wrong. i think it was good for the kid and good for the father and those kinds of things are good for their future and our future when he might grow up and be in holding a job of responsibility.

            I just don't know how to balance that against the pretty remote possibility of something bad happening. Hard thing to call.
            Last edited by LCHIEN; 03-03-2010, 05:39 PM.
            Loring in Katy, TX USA
            If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
            BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

            Comment

            • BobSch
              Veteran Member
              • Aug 2004
              • 4385
              • Minneapolis, MN, USA.
              • BT3100

              #7
              Even the controller's union said this was a bad idea!
              Bob

              Bad decisions make good stories.

              Comment

              • Uncle Cracker
                The Full Monte
                • May 2007
                • 7091
                • Sunshine State
                • BT3000

                #8
                Originally posted by LCHIEN
                i think it was good for the kid and good for the father and those kinds of things are good for their future and our future when he might grow up and be in holding a job of responsibility.
                I don't know if teaching the kid to ignore the rules is good for him or us at all... There clearly must be a place to draw the line, and they're on the wrong side of it. I would suspect that all control towers are now high-security areas, particularly in New York, so how do we justify somebody just taking their kids in there, much less putting them on the radio? Or maybe you want your surgeon's kids helping with your next procedure? No way this was a smart idea, so it wasn't a good idea, either.
                Last edited by Uncle Cracker; 03-03-2010, 06:11 PM.

                Comment

                • Cubsfan
                  Established Member
                  • Jan 2004
                  • 164
                  • CO.

                  #9
                  I'm a bit shocked at the 'outrage' over this. People are acting like the kid was doing it all by himself. He was simply saying the exact things his dad told him to say, and did a pretty good job. If there was a problem, there were trained people right there (he probably was sitting on his father's lap). And I'd wager to say that this was probably done at a relatively short time.

                  The fact that everyone is upset about this makes me very sad for our country.

                  Comment

                  • crokett
                    The Full Monte
                    • Jan 2003
                    • 10627
                    • Mebane, NC, USA.
                    • Ryobi BT3000

                    #10
                    I'm shocked that anyone would condone this. It isn't that the kid was there giving instructions to planes. I agree the danger there was minimal. It is that the judgement of the persons involved who thought this was a good idea was, at best, questionable.

                    I have a question, if you were a passenger on one of those planes that he directed, and you knew the pilots were following the instructions of a child, would you feel comfortable with either the child or whoever the ATC crew was in the tower?
                    David

                    The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment.

                    Comment

                    • jussi
                      Veteran Member
                      • Jan 2007
                      • 2162

                      #11
                      I guess he had a different interpretation of bring your kid to work day. Didn't they used (or maybe they still do) let kids go into the cockpit during a flight. That seemed much worse.

                      The kid's father was right there so I doubt anything serious would have happened but just from a liability point of view it was pretty dumb of him to do so. What if an accident would have happened totally unrelated to the kid. I'm sure the father would have still been blamed. Again I don't think it was all that dangerous, but I wouldn't have taken the liability risk.
                      Last edited by jussi; 03-03-2010, 08:06 PM.
                      I reject your reality and substitute my own.

                      Comment

                      • Woodwerker
                        Established Member
                        • Nov 2005
                        • 490
                        • .

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Cubsfan
                        I'm a bit shocked at the 'outrage' over this. People are acting like the kid was doing it all by himself. He was simply saying the exact things his dad told him to say, and did a pretty good job. If there was a problem, there were trained people right there (he probably was sitting on his father's lap). And I'd wager to say that this was probably done at a relatively short time.

                        The fact that everyone is upset about this makes me very sad for our country.
                        You know what we lost in this country? We lost our sense of tollerance for others ideas or thoughts. Even on this site (no offense great site) when is the last time you read someone say "I see your point, that makes some sense"? Never, today it's I will type what I think and wont even think about what others may think. Sorry for the rant but it fit well here
                        Every tool you own is broken, you just don't know it yet :-)

                        Comment

                        • cgallery
                          Veteran Member
                          • Sep 2004
                          • 4503
                          • Milwaukee, WI
                          • BT3K

                          #13
                          Not too concerned about an isolated incident.

                          I sure wouldn't want it to become commonplace.

                          I'd give every adult involved a dope slap and put them back to work.

                          Perhaps the FAA could figure out a way where ATC's could have "bring your son [or daughter] to work" days, where the kids could see what their parent does as a career, even try it themselves, while taking steps to minimize risks.

                          Comment

                          • cwsmith
                            Veteran Member
                            • Dec 2005
                            • 2807
                            • NY Southern Tier, USA.
                            • BT3100-1

                            #14
                            I certainly don't condone it, but I think that way too much is being made of it. The kid was't "controlling" or doing anything in the way of "managing" air or ground traffic. It appeared that the little guy was just the voice, the traffic was on the ground and sitting, and the father, as well as the rest of the tower was in control. None of the answerng pilots appeared to be alarmed or even questioning in their response.

                            But obviously an air traffic control tower is no place to put your kid on the air.

                            CWS
                            Think it Through Before You Do!

                            Comment

                            • Black wallnut
                              cycling to health
                              • Jan 2003
                              • 4715
                              • Ellensburg, Wa, USA.
                              • BT3k 1999

                              #15
                              I simply think folks are getting way too carried away about this. I say no harm leave it be and even perhaps encourage the same in the future! Repeating the exact words he was told is not much different than all of the electronics on board that keep the thing in the air. It is not like he was looking at a screen and making the decision about which plane should do what. There simply is not enough information in the news story to know the important details such as how old etc. I also think the suspension is real knee jerk.
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