Pilots Support Kid Controllers' Dad

NewsBot Epic Member

The FAA has banned tower visits and airline pilots using New York's JFK Airport are showing support for tower controller Glenn Duffy and his supervisors after Duffy allowed his kids to issue instructions over the tower frequency in mid February. The pilots are signing off their transmissions with "Adios" the salutation Duffy's nine-year-old son delivered in two of his transmissions Feb. 16. His twin sister took the mic a day later. According to the New York Daily News, some are amplifying their discontent with the fate that might await the controllers. "Thoughts going out to your co-worker there," the newspaper reported a Delta pilot departing Kennedy Airport was recorded on LiveATC as saying. "I think it's BS what he's going through."

Read More...


Use this thread to discuss the article above. What are your thoughts about: Pilots Support Kid Controllers' Dad?

mikecoyne34 Trusted Contributor BNA

Nobody's life was ever in danger with the kids talking on the radios. I think they actually did pretty well for their ages. Even if they would've messed up and said the wrong things or got off on a tangent talking about whatever else, the supe or their dad could've overkeyed them. These kids did much better than some of the trainees in the air traffic world anyways. I think the FAA should just slap the guy on his wrist and tell him not to do it again and leave it at that.

DotsonUSAF Rookie Little Rock, AR

Its no different having a trainee in position. The dad could over-key the transmissions at anytime or make corrections when needed. In fact, that kid sounds like he has more confidence than the new controllers in their mid 20's we have.

You guys know how it is, trainees make terrible calls at first; I mean calls that literally endanger lives. A little kid clearing someone for take off and switching them to departure is pretty innocent.

Ourselves and the pilots have stressful jobs and any comic or innocent is always welcome. I'd rather have a kid clearing people for take off than have idiots tie up the guard frequencies with their shenannigans.

twrflower Newcomer South Korea

I myself have had civilians/family members tour my facility, and if its a slow day, give a/c take off clearances while having my mic in the instructor slot. I agree that it isn't hazardous especially sense your practically feeding the person the clearence to repeat to the pilot. however to play the advocate its not particularly legal i mean they don't have any training nor a FAA form 7220-1 even if they are better at controlling than most trainees

MikeATC Retired FAA, NATCA Member Nashville TN

Kids talking on the frequency has occured at every FAA facility, I've know managers, supervisors and other controllers who have brought in their kids and let them clear someone for takeoff or landing.

Does the flying public really think that a new developmental contoller have any more experience than someones kid the first week that they plug in with a fully certified trainer.

hec_q Newcomer San Juan, Puerto Rico

the general public knows diddly sh*t about ATC. they only know and understand what the biased american media feeds them. Just like they dragged the teterboro controller thru the mud when that helo and GA collided over the hudson even though it was not his fault...the media made him out to be careless and irresponsible.

I've seen kids on mics many times and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Any person with common sense knows that the kid was repeating the intructions of his father, a certified controller. Only the other idiots on tv and nationwide actually believe the kid was actively controlling with no supervision. Damn fools.

MP_ATC Alive

Children do not belong on the radio. Simple as that. Rules are there for a reason. Safety is the purpose of the job, not entertaining your children. Whether something bad happened or not does not make a difference. This makes the profession look foolish and irresponsible.

beezee Rookie

People keep comparing this to putting a scalpel in the hands of a surgeon's son... I'd say it's more like having a surgeon's son put a bandaid on someone. (While being supervised of course)
There are different levels to every profession. People seem to think that ATC is always intense situationally every second of the day.

Rosstafari Daaaang. /X

I wouldn't even go that far. I'd put it on the same level as dressing your kid up in scrubs and letting him tell people that he's a doctor for the day.