Kid Directs Traffic at NY's JFK Airport

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Beemnseven

I just can't seem to get outraged by this.

I think the issue here is what if something happened. I'm guessing all of us would be calling the guy a fool and he should be charged with something but that did not happen so its all good.

[cpayne5]

Doesn't seem that risky to me. The kid really wasn't put in a position to cause anything even remotely tragic.

[MTK]

Seems to me something could go wrong pretty quickly in that type of setting. It's just good that nothing happened.

[cpayne5]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Seems to me something could go wrong pretty quickly in that type of setting. It's just good that nothing happened.

Nah, if he's properly trained and supervised, 0% chance.

No, but seriously, it was a pretty basic scenario. All they were doing was giving clearance for takeoff. The kid would really have to know their stuff to even begin to cause issues there. The worst case scenario? Planes sit on the runway. The kid doesn't know the airlines and their flight numbers waiting for departure.

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Originally Posted by Beemnseven

I just can't seem to get outraged by this.

I completely agree. Maybe it has something to do with a time when I was about 5 and I went to work with my dad and a my uncle let me operate a backhoe. He sat in the drivers seat and I sat on his knee and he basically said stuff like "pull this lever," or "turn this wheel." I was totally supervised and he was right there to take control if something were to go wrong.

I understand that airport/airplane safety is extremely important but I don't think this is a big deal. Its not like the dad was taking a nap and the kid was at the controls just doing what he wanted. If this was, say, a taxi dispatcher no one would give a damn.

[MTK]

So for the "it's no big deal" crowd, how should these guys be punished, or should they not be punished at all?

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

So for the "it's no big deal" crowd, how should these guys be punished, or should they not be punished at all?

While I do think that it's really not a big deal I guess there should be some kind of punishment for it because it does open the door to potentially bigger issues. I think a brief suspension and a disciplinary letter in his file fits this situation.

[CRedskinsRule]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

So for the "it's no big deal" crowd, how should these guys be punished, or should they not be punished at all?

I think it depends on the level of communication before hand. Clearly the boy had been cleared by security. If the Dad told his supervisor, "hey, my son is here for parent work day, can I let him say [simple phrases]" and the supervisor said yes, then I don't think he should be punished and the supervisor should get a letter of reprimand in his file for "potential disregard of safety/media concerns".

If the Dad told the supervisor the son was only going to watch and then decided to let him have a shot at the mike then the Dad would get a letter of reprimand.

Overall, I still would be ok with no punishment at all, but the media circus has gotten to big for that.

[over the mountain]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

I am sure the dad, proud of his work and his son, took him up, told him exactly what to say, and when. Seems to me like a big ta do about nothing.

i thought it was no big ta do either until i read the last part of the article that stated the potential danger from this was that for the kid to do the transmission calls, all other communications with other airplanes could not go on. i didnt explain that well . . .

normally an air traffic controller is dealing with and responsible for multiple airplanes. with the child doing it, they were only dealing with one at a time and not talking with the other planes.

basically, instead of the controller speaking with say 10 planes in that minute, with the child they were talking to only 2 or so for that minute.

[JoeRedskin]

^^ Again, was it properly supervised? Was there communication before hand? Was the supervisor advised? etc.

If the 10 planes had been forewarned, and precautionary measures set. Fine.

All in all, probably not the brightest move by the employee or the supervisor but, also, a little rational thought by the media would be useful.

[CRedskinsRule]

But bus drivers, I mean airplane pilots, make these runs all the time, heck 2 pilots over flew by an hour or something. We are not talking about neurosurgery, or split second calculations, if the controllers had seen any plane in need of immediate attention they would have taken the mike away in a split second. and they surely waited for a lull in plane chatter

[MTK]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

But bus drivers, I mean airplane pilots, make these runs all the time, heck 2 pilots over flew by an hour or something. We are not talking about neurosurgery, or split second calculations, if the controllers had seen any plane in need of immediate attention they would have taken the mike away in a split second. and they surely waited for a lull in plane chatter

Sadly that's how a lot of them are paid these days, some of them need 2nd jobs... that's insane

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Sadly that's how a lot of them are paid these days, some of them need 2nd jobs... that's insane

The money is not that bad and those numbers are only part of the package as I bet their retirement package is pretty good.
Airline Pilot Salary, Career Information Pilot

[MTK]

Originally Posted by firstdown

The money is not that bad and those numbers are only part of the package as I bet their retirement package is pretty good.
Airline Pilot Salary, Career Information Pilot

WikiAnswers - How much money does an airline pilot earn

You can make some decent $$ if you're in the game long enough, but the majority don't make too much especially to start.

In the civilian career path progression, a pilot will usually work at a regional carrier before moving on to a major airline. Regional new hires make close to $20K a year to start! While some regional pay close to $30K after 3 years or so, it takes several years at other to make that much. Starting out in this career one must expect to make some very low wages until they begin to build seniority with their airline and move up the pay scale

[firstdown]

Well that's pretty normal in the real world. Heck I worked my first year for pretty much nothing and my secretary made more then me. Just to open my office I had to show that I had enough cash on hand to run the business and what I needed to live off.