Child controls air traffic at JFK Airport in NYC? FAA investigates

Take Your Child to Work Day gone too far?

There are reports this morning that a child was allowed to stand in as an air traffic controller for a JetBlue flight and another flight to Mexico at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

According to a story at NBCNewYork.com, “The FAA says a controller brought the child to work on February 17th and allowed him to talk to pilots.”

At one point, an adult voice remarks, “Wish I could bring my kid to work.”

Apparently there’s a recording of the incident among the Interesting Recordings at air-traffic audio site LiveATC.net. A February 17 entry there is titled “New KJFK Controller? ? ?” — but some sort of registration seems to be required and we can’t find our wallet.

Happily, NBCNewYork.com has distilled that audio recording into the following clip:

The “Adios, amigos” is a nice touch.

NBC’s Today show had the story too, including this Tom Costello report:

After listening to all this, if you haven’t already, you may want to check out the recent Frontline installment from Miles O’Brien, “Flying Cheap.”