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Lamiaceae Site Administrator
Joined: 05 Jul 2006 Posts: 7651 Location: To the right of my computer
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Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 6:54 pm Post subject: ATC is child's play |
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To quote one of my favourite IT Tech sketches 'Internet Helpdesk' by Wes Borg of DeadTroll
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LLTsSnGWMI
You know Air Traffic Controllers claim they have the most stressful job HA!
Well, it's now been proven to be child's play.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8547875.stm
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US officials are investigating how a child was apparently allowed to direct planes at New York's JFK airport - one of the country's busiest.
The probe comes after an audiotape caught the boy directing several pilots preparing for take-off last month.
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Fair few video recordings as well, which can be found here Clicky _________________ I should update my sig. What to put here for $CurrentYear ? |
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area51newmexico Goddess
Joined: 08 Jul 2005 Posts: 10598 Location: East Yorkshire, England
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Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 12:45 pm Post subject: |
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Makes me wonder why the pilot didn't question why he was getting instructions from a child! _________________ Helen, the Administratrix of www.area51newmexico.com
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aalpha Nicest Guy In The Universe/Site Admin
Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 8399 Location: Where ever you need me I'll be there. Whatever you need done I'll do it. Made in the USA.
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Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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I saw/heard a longer version of the child directing traffic. I really don't see what all the hullabaloo is about. It's not like the Dad left him in the tower to work alone while he went to the cafeteria for lunch.
You know if the kid had made a mistake his old man would have been right on it in the next split second. The funny part to me was the pilots sounded like they knew the controller.
Correct me if I'm wrong but he only seemed to be directing ground traffic not planes in the air. I heard him give several planes permission to take off not land.
Since these big birds don't exactly dart into the air like houseflies and he apparently knew what he was doing I don't see the problem.
If you've already settled it in your heart to fly 500mph at 30,000 feet high what can possibly cause you heartburn if a 9 year old tells your pilot he's clear for takeoff? _________________
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spartman Veteran Contributer
Joined: 26 Jan 2009 Posts: 259 Location: Northern Idaho
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Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:42 pm Post subject: kids controling |
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Oh Boy.....
I just knew this one was gonna grow big, long legs and run once the media got hold of it. I can just imagine the scenario at JFK. : Little or no traffic and the Jet is at the approach end and has called the tower controller ready to go. Probably no aircraft on final within ten miles of the runway. So "Dad" puts the mike in front of "Billys" face and tells him what to say.
"Jetbue 371, cleared for takeoff "
now the jet rolls and once they are airborne, gear up and climbing out.,
"Jetblue 371, contact departure "
Big deal,,,,, he cleared him and issued a frequency change to the radar departure controller. The kid is happy as hell, the Jetblue drivers found it amusing and no one crashed.
Was it a violation of the rules? you bet it was. And now the media has it,
the controller and the Supervisor are suspended. They will be lucky if they just get 30 days "on the beach " without pay and a really serious letter of reprimand.
Worse case scenario---- they get fired, and believe me, the FAA does NOT like to get humiliated in the press.
So, one way or another, the FAA is going to drop the hammer big time on this one for what really is next to nothing.
Hope you are proud of yourself Mr/Ms reporter..... you got your story.
Spart _________________ Practice makes adequate. |
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Lamiaceae Site Administrator
Joined: 05 Jul 2006 Posts: 7651 Location: To the right of my computer
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Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:54 am Post subject: Re: kids controling |
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spartman wrote: | Oh Boy.....
I just knew this one was gonna grow big, long legs and run once the media got hold of it.
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Things always do when the media and other such information sources gets hold of anything. Happens a lot at work.
A lot of customer complaints / queries which are usually defused within seconds of being passed onto Technical go something along the lines of :
'I understand that you put chemical X into product Y, i've read on the internet/read in the news/heard from my mate Barry down the pub that this stuff is poisonous'.
Yes, water is bad for you in too big a quantity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_intoxication
As is smoking cigarettes, I can just imagine the same type of phone call to a cigarette manufacturer...
Does make me wonder though how this story got out? - i've not seen the inside of an air traffic control centre, but I imagine they aren't always open to the public.
Someone have a grudge against this guy or something? _________________ I should update my sig. What to put here for $CurrentYear ? |
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spartman Veteran Contributer
Joined: 26 Jan 2009 Posts: 259 Location: Northern Idaho
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Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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Minty wrote :
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Does make me wonder though how this story got out? - i've not seen the inside of an air traffic control centre, but I imagine they aren't always open to the public. |
You are correct in that Tours to ATC sites are restricted, but available.
I believe that the story got loose by virtue of a website that allows the general public to listen in on live ATC transmissions such as atclive.net
From there it gathered attention and took off (so to speak)
Spart _________________ Practice makes adequate. |
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