Page 2 - Tower Controller News Today

Areas. the local tower controller, when he saw the airplane taxiing out toward runway 16 center. and he wasnt talking to them, started separating airplanes away from this airplane when he didnt know what it was going to do. when it took off, they immediately notified the security folks, and they were able to scramble fighter jets, too, that were on scene very quickly. so, how bad it could have been, once the fighters were on scene. they were trying to push him towards the pacific ocean, away fro...

Than not youre going to be in a soft area. this area came off the runway and ended up in the mud. >> youve been on duty when this happens. give us a sense of when the bell rings. waiting for years, nothing happens. suddenly, sadly, the alarm goes off and theres a plane in trouble. >> notification generally comes from the faa control tower. the control tower has visual of all the airport. theyll pick up whats called the airport emergency notification system phone. by picking it up it automaticall...

Notified by the operation center of the tower problem. >> united 628, just so youre aware, weve had one aircraft go into dca. the tower is apparently unmanned. >> reporter: it landed safely too, and the tower controller was back on the radio about five minutes later. but a former airline pilot calls it a serious lapse. >> of all the airports on the planet, this is the worst one for that to happen to. lets face it, that airport sits within a baseball throw of the pentagon, of the white house, of ...

Around that same time, a united airlines plane with 68 people on board heading in from chicago is notified by the operation center of the tower problem. >> united 628, just so youre aware, weve had one aircraft go into dca. the tower is apparently unmanned. >> reporter: it landed safely too and the tower controller was back on the radio about five minutes later. baa former airline pilot calls it a serious lapse. >> of all the airports on the planet, this is the worst one for that to happen to. l...

Line and theres no answer. >> reporter: a man on board the flight says the pilot keeps passengers informed. >> the pilot gets over the loudspeaker and says, sorry, folks, we cant land right now, i cant get in contact with air traffic control tower, were going to keep circling until i get a response. >> reporter: the plane lands safely a few minutes later, following procedures for unmanned airports, making frequent radio calls to notify planes in the area of its position. around that same time, a...

It even occurred. >> if i was flying and heard a childs voice on the radio, i would have to question any commands they might have given me. >> reporter: the faa suspended both the jfk controller and supervisor and called the tower distractions, quote, totally unacceptab unacceptable, and added this lapse in judgment not only violated faas own policies but common sense standards of professional conduct. the air traffic controllers association chimed in and said, quote, we do not condone the behav...

Children in a tower to have a look at it, and its a completely different story when you are putting them on the microphone with hundreds of passengers on these planes. >> reporter: the incident comes on the heels of other eyebrow raising events involving pilots and controllers in the last year. two pilots had their licenses revoked after shooting an airport by 150 miles. and in new jersey, moments before a midair collision over the hudson river, a controller was making a personal call and the su...

>> its very unsafe, and i just cant believe that something like that was allowed to happen. how it occurred. >> if i heard a childs voice, i would have questioned commands they would have given me. >> they called the tower distractions totally unacceptable and added this violation in judgment not only violated policies, but common sense standards for professional conduct. >> the controller and supervisor

Candidates who spend half million more lost or quit, proof perhaps that even the richest person in the world needs a message voters believe, not just a good act. proof, perhaps that even the richest person in the world needs a message voters believe in, not just a good act. john, kate. >> it brings us to the half hour, and that means its time for this mornings top stories. president obama saying its time for congress to pass health care reform despite the political risks involved and for the fir...

Was he thinking. an air-traffic control not only let his son direct flights, but then the next day he let his other child duty same thing. >> today that controller and his supervisor has been suspended with pay. >> reporter: children directing planes at new yorks jfk airport? not once, but twice. the faa says a controller allowed his son in the control tower to talk directly to pilots and on the next day, his daughter, according to an informed source, had a chance to radio two more planes. >> th...