Child Directs Traffic At JFK Airport

An FAA investigation is underway after a child was heard giving instructions to pilots from the air-traffic control tower at JFK. The child made five transmissions to pilots who responded enthusiastically to the boy controller. "Pending the outcome of our investigation, the employees involved in this incident are not controlling air traffic," the FAA said in a statement. "This behavior is not acceptable and does not demonstrate the kind of professionalism expected from all FAA employees."

great thinking, that

[SuperRenaissanceMan]

How could this possibly have seemed like a good idea? I know that no harm was done, and probably none could have been done in such a controlled environment, but these are the people that think eye drops are a threat to national security. You simply don't deviate from the norms when you deal with the FAA.

It's important to keep kids from work!

[timothy]

Especially if it might be interesting.

Letting them relay instructions to pilots -- oh, no!

This is inherently dangerous -- a pilot expecting the gruff, masculine voice of a Real Man Controller might swoon at the dulcet soprano of a boychild, and assume he was nearly to heaven already, and that he's just to get rid of this silly chunk of aluminum tube ...

Wait.

No, that's dumb.

This is typical rule-addicted asinine knee-jerkism.

Raise your virtual hand if you've ever done (and learned from) something that took su

Re:

[bill_mcgonigle]

This is typical rule-addicted asinine knee-jerkism.

the lifeblood of the bureaucracy.

Re:

[FuckingNickName]

That's a fantastic strawman you have there. You see, if a kid accidentally slips a metallic screwdriver into a power supply while he is holding a grounded American flag in the other hand, he risks at worst killing himself and the flag. But when the guy with several years of training, environmental conditioning and a huge paycheque drags in some kid who could just as well shout "Mayday!" for kicks, several hundred people's lives may be affected. Even if the kid is perfectly competent, how can we rule out air

The real reason everyone is so upset...

[inthealpine]

The real reason everyone is so upset is that we learned today that a child can be taught to do what no doubt overpaid bureaucrats fuck up on a daily basis. I heard some of the recordings, the kid sounded like he was sure of himself and the flight crews seemed completely fine with the situation. I know I know, it was a child (under the direct supervision of an adult) directing air planes OH MY GOD!!!!!!! Isn't that what caused 9/11???!?!?! (oh wait that was the adults). What was this kid doing expanding