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Should the air traffic controller who let his young son direct pilots be fired?
Should the air traffic controller who let his young son direct pilots at JFK International Airport be fired?
MONICA FRAY, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: “Yes. It’s not ‘Bring Your Child to Work Day’ in air traffic control. You’re dealing with hundreds of lives. It’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
CLYDE GANGER, Troy: “Yes. Anybody that’s responsible for maintaining clearance for planes carrying passengers should not be distracted by having his kids at his job site.”
MELISSA RIETHMAN, Marion Twp., Mercer County: “It depends. If they have all the security in place to restrict access, I don’t know why the boy was allowed in. There are more people than the father at fault here. Maybe he could just be put on probation or suspension.”
BEVERLY WALTERS, Union: “Yes, he should be fired. I never even knew they allowed kids up there with things so strict. That should be taken very seriously.”
SUSAN KAMMER, Brown Twp., Darke County: “There should be a policy saying no children in there.”
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Travel/Transportation
Comments
By Squirrellygirl
March 10, 2010 8:26 AM | Link to this
Yes. Regulations need to be adhered to. People who helped him should be admonished, possibly fired if this is a repeat incident.
By Jet Jockey
March 10, 2010 9:08 AM | Link to this
One would think that with all the new FAA regulations such as, secured cockpit doors, bagage screening, naked x-ray of passengers, carry on screening, additional pat downs and no fly lists that taking a kid up in a secured, no admittance, authorized personnel only control tower would be self explanatory.
By Thrust/Lift/Gravity/Drag
March 10, 2010 9:36 AM | Link to this
Fire the idiot. I agree with Jet Jockey.(it’s spelled “baggage” or “luggage”, if you flew Northwest Airlines)…Children should only be allowed in the tower under the supervision of senior FAA tower personnel.
By Anon
March 10, 2010 9:45 AM | Link to this
Geeze everyone, get a clue. The kid in question was only repeating what he was told by a qualified air traffic controller. While the act is stupid, safety wasn’t compromised and no one was hurt. Suspend him for a few days and let him get back to work.
By Sky King
March 10, 2010 9:43 PM | Link to this
No. The boy did not “direct” anything or anybody. I was a pilot and it was a harmless joke to pilot folks who got a kick out of it and enjoyed it. Air traffic was not busy and weather was not bad at that time, despite the whines, and the kid only did it a couple of times. Aviation people get tired of media people and amateurs babbling about that which they know nothing of, like asking them their ill and uninformed opinions.
By irishguy
March 10, 2010 10:04 PM | Link to this
I agree with Sky King. I’ve heard two other pilots say it’s no big deal. In fact, one of them said it was great, really made the pilots focus on the kids voice. He was being directed what to say by his father. No harm, no foul.