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Level -> RE: Take your kid to work... (3/5/2010 3:55:06 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: SoulPiercer
I'm a former air traffic controller. What I'm about to write here will probably scare the hell out of you. Turn away if you're squeamish.
ATC is one of the few jobs in the world where you can get hired with absolutely no previous experience, unless like myself, you worked as a controller in the military. Why? Because the FAA is the only company hiring.
After you go through about 2 to 4 years of training and you finally get to sit in "the big chair" or "the hot seat", guess what? There is a senior controller sitting right behind you, telling you what to do and what to say. Hmmm... sort of like a father telling his kid what to say. Granted this kid didn't have the 2 to 4 years of training, but play along with me.
The headline of this story was written to be misleading and shocking. The reality is this: the kid was not directing traffic. The father was. There are several steps the father had to go through before giving a departure clearance. The kid was just talking on the radio, repeating what the father said. No complaints came from the pilots. In fact, in the article I read, several pilots complimented the child for a job well done. So .. if airline pilots who have a few minutes more flight time than any of us weren't outraged, why is the flying public so up in arms?
To me, this had the potential to be a great story. Dad takes his kid to work instead of dropping the kid off at daycare or turning on the TV and handing the kid a game controller. What's even better is the fact that the kid took an interest in what Dad does for a living. You can bet this kid is probably really upset now, believing he got his dad in trouble.
Thanks for the info, SP; it helps illuminate the situation, hearing from someone that's been inside their world.
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