9-year-old twins who spoke to planes at JFK feel bad for trouble they caused

Malaysia News.Net
Saturday 6th March, 2010

The nine-year-old twins, who were allowed, by their air traffic controller father, to talk to the pilots of aircraft operating at JFK international airport, blame themselves for the trouble their father has gotten into over the incident.

Larry Johnstone, brother-in-law of the suspended air traffic controller said that the twin boy and girl both feel they’ve gotten their Dad into trouble for the February 16 and 17th incident, according to the New York Daily News.

“The kids are upset,” he said. “They feel it’s their fault…the guy is the safest guy in the world. He wouldn’t do anything that would hurt or put anybody in jeopardy.”

Glenn Duffy, had a Federal Aviation Administration investigation launched against him, and was suspended with pay, after it emerged that he had taken his twins to work with him on two occasions, and allowed them to communicate instructions to aircraft taking off from the airport.

In one particular audio clip on You Tube.com, a boy’s voice can be heard telling various Jet Blue aircraft they’re “cleared for takeoff” or to “contact departures”. At one point he chirps, “adios amigos” to a departing plane, and the pilots replies “awesome job”, implying that the pilot was aware of, and comfortable with, the situation.

Indeed, in another part of the recording, a voice, perhaps that of Duffy, is heard saying “this is what happens when you bring your kids to work”, which means the pilots of aircraft on that frequency knew he was relaying instructions, in that particular recording, through his son.

The pilots, who know their safety lies with Duffy, sound more amused than concerned in the recording, suggesting that they knew he was fully in control throughout the time at which his twins were relaying instructions.

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