FAA Investigates Child Directing Planes at Airport

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greenskye

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Apr 16, 2008
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Probably not a good career move, but I'm not really seeing the danger. Plenty of people were supervising and it sounds like the (real) controller confirmed the transmission. Unfortunately they'll have to make an example out of them so someone else doesn't take the idea any further.
 

Trueno07

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Apr 15, 2009
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If they were really determined to bring kids into this, i'm sure there could have been a better way to go about it...
 

falchard

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Jun 13, 2008
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Chances are they won't fire a qualified Air Traffic Controller. One of the most stressful jobs in the world. They are usually in need of an Air Traffic Controller.
 

zoemayne

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Whats there to investigate this is a waste of TAX money. Just tell him not to do it and if he does it again FIRE him. Parents cant bring there kids to work? People do it all the time they should not suspend him/her. This is a waste. He should not be fired people bring their kids all the time and I'm sure he wants his kids to be air traffic controllers since there is such a demand. I wish my father/mother had a career to take me to work to.
 

babybeluga

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Feb 22, 2010
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Apparently this happened two days in a row with two different kids (or at least that's what the national news said). It sounds like the kid did a good job, but what an idiotic move by that traffic controller. If a plane had crashed, you people would be singing a different tune.
 

nforce4max

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This is rather harmless compared to other things that go on everyday in America. How about investigating the government for corruption and crimes against the people.
 

Blessedman

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I agree it was harmless, everything was supervised and this world has gotten way way way too stuffy! Post 9/11 has become a much less fun world to live in and if we can't have fun in this world, what is the freaking point?
 

Platypus

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As long as she wasn't told to sit there so all the employees could take an early lunch, there's no harm in it. She did this under supervision and was probably only repeating what someone told her 1 second earlier, or they wrote it down and told her to read it into the microphone. It made her feel important and she was spending time with her father.

The repercussions came only because the higher-ups want to look "serious."
 

kingnoobe

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Aug 20, 2008
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I could see a write up, slap on the wrist something of that nature. But I mean it was obvious the kid was being supervised. So while a bad decision, I don't think it qualify as reckless. Reckless would be leaving the kid alone at the chair.
 

simboo

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Jun 26, 2009
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The FAA says: "The employee has been suspended because he did not use the proper procedure in place at the tower, he should have filled a waver form releasing us and/or anybody else working with him at that time from any potential mishap that could have followed. We are now using your tax money to discuss and introduce a new procedure that will guide ATC personel when a kid is around."

geeze...
 

pooflinger1

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Fire them. They broke the rules and had a kid on more than one occasion in a restricted area without proper clearance. Whatever happened to "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time"? Just because something bad didn't happen doesn't make the situation alright. If you use that logic, then you could also say that it's ok to drive drunk as long as nothing bad happens. Just because some people bring their kids to work does not mean that everyone should. It's work FFS. He was getting paid to direct aircraft NOT babysit and tell his kid how to direct aircraft. If one little thing or close call would have happened everyone would be completely on the other side of the fence getting ready to string this guy up. But since nothing bad came of it... oh well... I don't see a need to waste a single tax dollar. He admitted to it and the kid is on recorded audio. Terminate him, and give his job to someone else who would be more than happy to have a paycheck in these times. He's not the only one who knows how to direct aircraft.
 

shakari

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50 years ago this woulndt haven been a problem, and was probably how alot of air trafic controlers were taught. There would have been a script, the kids were only dealing with pilots taking off (so all the checks had allready been done and the kids were just giving the all clear to the pilot). Its a joke that people really do think that this is serious, the kids were just mouth peices, beeing given the oportunity to do something fun, and to also not make it as boring for them.

People really do need to lighten up and realise that letting red tape rule the world is going to cause more problems and limit any kind of safe and harmless fun happen. There was nothing wrong with happened, I say this needs to happen more, specialy in such a demanding and stressfull job, a realse is always a great thing.
 

hok

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million bucks says that those 5 transmissions were probably the most safe of the day where everyone's concentration was on where those planes were and things were double checked before he let the kid clear the planes... after... the kid gets off the chair runs around, pokes at this and that in the control deck and the parent was half eying the kid and while trying to direct traffic...
 

knightmike

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Jan 10, 2009
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All the kid did was tell pilots they were clear for takeoff. He wasn't directing traffic. Everybody needs to take a chill pill.
 
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