…between what this JFK controller did and what flight instructors do every day. When a brand new student pilot keys the mic for the first time, he has no clue what’s going on. Even though we’ve spent time in the classroom talking about radio procedures, the student is so overwhelmed by the situation that he inevitably forgets what to do. The student then looks at the CFI and says “what do I say”. The CFI then says in a slow, deliberate voice “tower, N123, holding short runway 23L, ready for east departure”. For those first few flights, the student is just repeating what the CFI says. That’s all that happened here, the kid just repeated what his dad told him to say. I must also add that he did a much better job than most student pilots I’ve heard- his transmission was clear, intelligible, and he didn’t sound the slightest bit nervous. Maybe it’s in the genes?
My second major problem is with the media. They would have you believe that the child was “controlling” or “directing” traffic. No such thing took place. The child merely made a few radio transmissions. Now I’m not a controller, but I know there’s more to ATC than simply keying the mic. The child was not controlling anything- he wasn’t coordinating runway crossings with the ground controller, he wasn’t coordinating releases with the departure control sector, he wasn’t writing on flightstrips and he wasn’t making any decisions based on separation. That is (some of) what air traffic control entails. Furthermore, the kid made the most basic transmissions- cleared for takeoff, and contact departure. Dad did all the heavy radio work. Are we really going to punish a controller for that?
What should be done? Talking to some controllers, it seems the FAA should thank this guy for inspiring somebody else to become a controller, because there are lots of unhappy controllers out there who wouldn’t mind leaving.
In all seriousness, the guy should get a slap on the wrist. He allowed his son to use the radio when the traffic was light. Everybody involved seemed to have enjoyed it. For all we know, the kid really brightened somebody’s day. I hope the FAA doesn’t cave in to media sensationalism. Nothing to see here folks, move along.
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i agree, just slap him on the wrist and move on. When one trains to be an ATC you have the required classroom and simulator training yes but no license, yet when "on-the-job" training starts, because its your first time on a real radio, just like is said before, you look up at the guy training you (the guy with the rating) with a "what do i say?" look. There are greater things to rabble about in this industry.
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