Dad takes son to work... Good job lil buddy you just told a plane to take off!
Okay, I understand that if you are taking a flight ANYWHERE you may not want a young child to tell your pilot when it's okay to take off. However, I heard the released audio clip of the child. He sounded like he was doing a very good job (in the voice of a very young and adorable child) and he didn't make sounds of "umms" "or Opps". That's always a good thing. So obviously, it was under adult supervision and even as the little boy was calling out the information, you can hear the pilots chuckling and saying, "Good job". So perhaps, it's because it's the FAA! However, kudos to a dad who let his son sit in his seat for a few minutes and call out a few directives.
That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. Unless a plane had crashed and hundreds of lives had been lost...
I don't see the harm. If the dad was an intoxicated, drug abusing Flight controller who had no sense about North, South, East and West. I'd say the FAA had bigger problems to deal with anyway. I refuse to jump on the bandwagon and judge this dad. I get the distinct feeling people think this is the worst thing they have ever heard.
I'm sorry, but it's not. If the dad worked on a Porn set, I'd have to agree that it was probably not in the best interest of the child to take him to work. However, he'd probably be in less trouble if he had. That's just sad. So to the FAA... stop throwing your employees under the bus for the sake of political and public opinion. It was harmless and people are making more out of it than is necessary.
The article follows and please click on the link to read more.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100303/od_nm/us_newyork_airport_odd
Child's play at air traffic tower sparks inquiry
Source: Reuters
NEW YORK – An investigation is underway into why a young child, apparently under an adult's supervision, was allowed to direct air traffic at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport, U.S. authorities said on Wednesday.
In transmissions broadcast by local media, the young child -- whose age is unknown -- can be heard directing pilots for departure, apparently under the supervision of an adult. The incident reportedly happened two weeks ago.
At one point an adult voice can be heard telling a pilot: "This is what you get guys when the kids are out of school."
The pilots receiving instructions from the child did not appear too concerned with one pilot saying "awesome job."
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that pending the outcome of its investigation the employees involved in the incident were not controlling air traffic.
"This behavior is not acceptable and does not demonstrate the kind of professionalism expected from all FAA employees," the FAA said in a statement.
Providence, R.I. --- A motorist driving past a fender-bender struck three men standing on the side of the highway and drove more than a mile and a half with one of them lodged in his windshield, police said. State police said the three men were standing on the side of Interstate 95 early Sunday to check for damages following an earlier, unrelated accident. Christopher Swiridowsky, 30, drove into the three men and one of them, Jose Flores, 24, became lodged in Swiridowsky's windshield and remained there for a over mile. Swiridowsky stopped only because he thought someone was following him. He fled on foot and was later found hiding in his home. Flores has two broken legs and a broken arm. One of the other men suffered serious injuries, police said. 
