Taking kids to work air traffics controllers

[happygirl]

Did anyone hear about the air traffic controllers who took there kids to work with them and let them talk to the pilots and give the pilots directions.I can see both sides of the debate

 

[paintnolish]

Well, it's not like the kids were making up the directions themselves. I am sure they were being told what to stay, but still...how do you even think this is a good idea?!? Epically bad, bad judgement!

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

No, but when I was a kid we got to go up in the tower and talk to them while they were on duty. I'll have to check out the conversations thing, but they had plenty of time to talk to us back then (late 70s-early 80s ???).

 

[glasslipper]

Really stupid. I wonder how many brain surgeons take their kids to work with them? LOL

 

[paintnolish]

Really stupid. I wonder how many brain surgeons take their kids to work with them? LOL

Okay little Timmy, you just cut over there! Good job, buddy!

 

[goodeats]

It sounded like all the pilots the kids talked to (at least based on what the Today show played) were still on the ground and they were giving them their departure orders. Obviously the kids didn't make up what they were saying.
It doesn't really bother me.

Now if they were talking to pilots in the air or giving arrival/landing info I would have a problem with it.

 

[ElliePeters]

Yeah, there were some bad choices made there.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Okay, finally tracked down an article about it. Suspending a man with 20 years of experience for this. Over-reaction? I think so...

 

[Nelfamily]

I'm not saying what the controller did was the smartest thing to do, but he was telling his son exactly what to say. He, the father, was plugged into the console and was still in control of what was going on. The son only cleared aircraft to takeoff and then cleared those same aircraft to switch frequencies over to the departure frequency. He was not giving taxi instructions. As a pilot myself, I thought it was neat and would have laughed if I was piloting one of the planes he cleared for takeoff. Most of the pilots I know and the forums I've read about this event have no problem with what happened. It's the media that is blowing this out of perportion. People just need to relax and not be so uptight.

When was the last time you brought your kids to work and let them do some of the things you do?

Like I said, it wasn't the smartest thing to do, but nobody got hurt or was put in jeopardy. Listening to the tranmissions, the kids did a good job.

 

[happygirl]

Okay, finally tracked down an article about it. Suspending a man with 20 years of experience for this. Over-reaction? I think so...

I could be wrong but I think it was the same traffic controller that helped when the plane landed in Hudson

 

[joviroxx]

I think the media is like a dog with a bone on this one. Big over reaction....

 

[RitaZ.]

Okay, finally tracked down an article about it. Suspending a man with 20 years of experience for this. Over-reaction? I think so...

Can you post the link? Thanks!

 

[brockash]

I think the "outrage" is/was really blown out of proportion. When I first heard about it, I thought the kids were somehow in the towers alone- that's how the headlines made it sound. I think that it's probably not a good idea allow kids to be in the towers (just like kids shouldn't be allowed in OR's, police interviews ect.) I don't think the workers that did this should be fired at all, and I think they should just put in a place a solid policy that doesn't allow kids/visitors ect. in the towers. The "outrage" is rediculous though IMO.

 

[yellowlabforever]

I agree with the big-overreaction part, but I can definitely see both sides of the argument. The pilots of the various planes didn't think it was a big deal, so I think they are reading a little too much into it.

 

[Nelfamily]

Here's the MSNBC link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35695789/ns/travel-news/


Here's the audio link:

http://liveatc-archive.s3.amazonaws.com/new-kjfk-controller.mp3


I think the kid did a good job.

 

[yellowlabforever]

I think he did too... I thought it was cute when he spoke a little bit of Spanish to the Mexican Flight.

 

[clutter]

I think the controller gave new definition to the term "special snowflake."

 

[JessicaR]

Bad judgement call - and thats it. So much gets blown out of proportion lately.

My opinion - others will disagree.

 

[mhsjax]

I think the "outrage" is/was really blown out of proportion. When I first heard about it, I thought the kids were somehow in the towers alone- that's how the headlines made it sound. I think that it's probably not a good idea allow kids to be in the towers (just like kids shouldn't be allowed in OR's, police interviews ect.) I don't think the workers that did this should be fired at all, and I think they should just put in a place a solid policy that doesn't allow kids/visitors ect. in the towers. The "outrage" is rediculous though IMO.

Hubby is 20 year air traffic controller. Kids have always been allowed in the tower and in route centers. He has seen this happen many times with kids. Never anything serious but during slow times they would tell the kids what to say. The pilots loved it. Per hubby."Give the professional some credit to know when it is dangerous and busy, this was not done at any of those times"

 

[Katieinwonderland]

I don't see the big deal - I don't think it was a great idea, but there was no harm done and I can't see why people are so outraged. The pilots were all on the ground, the kid was just being fed lines, the father was plugged in the whole time. I think the kid did a good job too!