Comments on: Sack’em or Save’em: Should This Air Traffic Controller Be Fired?

By: Luke

Luke — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:49:14 +0000

As a pilot, I think that it was certainly unprofessional but not dangerous. The controller was right there and telling the kid what to say, which is the same way that pilots learn to talk to controllers when with their instructors. The kid wasn’t landing the airplanes, there were pilots in control of the airplane. I think the controller should be suspended and put on probation but not fired. The FAA should also make it clear that it is not acceptable behavior and move on.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:38:02 +0000

Save him. This is totally stupid. Okay, so he did something he shouldn’t have, but there was nothing dangerous to it.

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:22:12 +0000

If the supervisor didn’t stop it from happening, the controller shouldn’t be fired. The pilots didn’t complain, nothing bad happened, the child was saying the EXACT same thing the controller would have said, so no, he should not lose his job because a bunch of lawyers have their panties in a bunch!

By: Angel

Angel — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:16:44 +0000

*nods in agreement with Jessie*

By: jessie

jessie — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:26:23 +0000

Some of you are blowing this completely out of proportion!!! Once the father did his checks to verify that so and so planes are clear for take off he allowed his son to speak..SPEAK through a microphone to a PILOT who was in full controll of the plane. He’s not flying the plane, or looking at the radar or anything. You can’t compare that to a bus driver allowing his son to drive the bus, GET REAL. Yes the father should be reprimanded, but definately NOT fired. Some people who compared this to other things I.E bus driver scenario…learn how to not compare apples to oranges!

By: Lyza

Lyza — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:02:07 +0000

Save him! The kid just went to work with his dad and got to clear a couple of planes for take off. No big deal. His dad was right there. About time kids go and see what their parents do for a living

By: Bailey

Bailey — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:58:00 +0000

Save him! Nothing bad happened now did it? Im not sure why everyone is saying sack him, he just wanted to show the kid his job.

By: Tam

Tam — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:36:42 +0000

Sack him – I have kids, you have to watch them and take care of them. No biggie that he talked on the system to me. But if his spouse wasn’t there to help take care of the kid, then he had to neglect his job to take of the kid, risking peoples lives. Not cool!!

By: Dex

Dex — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:14:02 +0000

Honestly no harm no foul. All these people calling for a firing is crap because the kid is not actually flying the plane. All he is doing is relaying a message from his father. But because this is not normal people want someones ass to fry. I mean honestly the kid did better then the tower controller I was listening to at BFI yesterday who couldn’t seem to get the right runway down.

By: April

April — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:02:28 +0000

Save Him! I’m sure that dad was responsible enough to know that there were no other planes around or that anybody was in danger. Give the guy a break. I agree to there are too many dead beat dads out there. If you don’t want this to happen then maybe company’s should wake up and offer a time or day when parents can bring their children to work and show them what they do. It probably made that kids day. It was a mistake but don’t be too hard on the dad. We live in such a fast paced world that we need to stop and smell the roses and enjoy life!