An air traffic controller in Colombia took his son on an unauthorized trip to the airport control tower at El Dorado International Airport, Bogotá, and allowed him to communicate with up to 20 flights, including giving one plane take-off clearance.
The alleged incident took place on July 21 and has made headlines in Colombia, with the country’s civil aviation regulator under pressure to get to the bottom of how this apparent safety breach was allowed to occur.
The unauthorized work experience trip may have gone undetected if it hadn’t been for the fact that the teenager posted a video of his visit to the air traffic control on social media, where it quickly went viral.
During his 50-minute visit to the tower, the 18-year-old gave Avianca flight AV-217 Buenos Aires, operated by Spanish charter carrier Wamos Air, clearance to take off.
The Airbus A330 aircraft used for this flight has a capacity for 391 passengers.
Colombia’s Aeronáutica Civil has suspended the licenses of two of the air traffic controllers in the wake of the scandal, while disciplinary proceedings have been opened against five other controllers who were on duty in the tower at the time of the boy’s visit.
Prosecutors have also been called in to investigate whether any possible crimes have been committed.
Regulators have assured the public that safety was never compromised and that additional control measures have been put in place to stop something similar occurring in the future.
“This incident constitutes a violation of rules that safeguard air safety and compromises the integrity of passengers, crew, and aircraft,” the regulator said in a statement posted to its official account on X.
“The individual behaviors observed do not represent the body of air traffic controllers as a whole, which is largely composed of professionals committed to strict compliance with aeronautical regulations.”
In a second post, the agency added: “We are working to ensure that the ongoing disciplinary investigation is conducted with speed, objectivity, and yields concrete results.”
The boy’s father, who works as an air traffic controller at another airport in Colombia, has defended his actions, saying he was simply trying to give his son “hands-on” experience to help him pursue his dream of also becoming an air traffic controller in the future.
Landing a job as an air traffic controller is, of course, no mean feat, which not only requires aptitude and the right education but also the right personality, with candidates required to go through various assessments to test their behavior under pressure, decision-making ability, and their general social behavior.
The tough selection process, as well as the rigorous training program required to become an air traffic controller, has led to staff shortages in many parts of the world, notably in the United States and Europe.
In the US, the Biden administration hit its hiring goals for new air traffic controllers, which were based on the number of training spaces available, but these goals were still below projections of how many ATC officers will be needed over the coming years.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) is now racing to hire even more air traffic controllers with plans to bring more than 2,000 candidates into training by the end of the year.
Something like this happened in the US years ago when a controller let his son give the go ahead for a plane to take off, later he let his daughter do the same thing, I believe both were under 10 years old. Not sure what the heck he was thinking, my guess is he wanted to show his kids what he did for a living and give them a chance to participate. Not sure what disciplinary action was taken.
He went to Columbia and continued to be an ATC.
Ugh… I dislike it when people who should know better take advantage of the average person’s lack of knowledge to make something seem more scary than it is. (To be clear, I’m not saying the author of this article did that, I’m saying the dimwits in Colombia did that.)
Here’s a little context.
Air traffic controlers do many functions in their job, a lot of which are rime sensitive. They are choreographing a dance of all the planes in their airspace, which are moving at 100+ miles an hour. Wanna know the ONE time their job is NOT time sensitive? When a plane is stopped at the end of a runway, waiting for ATC to basically say “Green light” so they can take off. And it’s not like you’re casting a Harry Potter spell, where if you mispronounce the words the plane will end up in Knockturn Alley. The pilors in that plane are waiting to hear “Av-217, cleared for take-off”, and if they hear ANYTHING other than that, they are just going to radio back and say, “Umm… what?” – Like I said, you are basically just telling them, “Green light”.
That’s not to say that a take-off clearance isn’t important – it’s the tower basically promising the pilots that that runway is exclusively theirs until they give it back, meaning nobody else will try to land on it or taxi across it while they are taking off. But note, other people taking those other actions (landing/crossing) would ALSO require specific clearances from the tower, it’s not something that can happen on its own.
If the kid was alone in the room directing air traffic while his father went for a coffee then it would be a cause for concern, but if – as I suspect – his professional Air Traffic Controller father was standing over his shoulder observing, then there is really nothing that could have gone wrong, which is why the grown-ups who understand ATC said that safety was never compromised. Then some halfwit journalist decided to try to drum up a panic by announcing hysterically that “OMG, the plane can hold 300 people!!!!!!” In reality, it’s totally irrelevant if the plane carries three people or three thousand, there’s still just one pilot and onr co-pilot waiting for takeoff clearance. They are either going to hear a valid clearance and take off, hear something incorrect and ask for clarification, or hear nothing and keep waiting (and eventually ask ATC what’s going on).
Doesn’t seem like such a big deal now, does it?
Honestly, it’s a lot like when I let my 3 year old sit on my lap and steer my car yesterday, as I inched across an empty parking lot at half walking speed. Was he “driving”? Kinda. Was there literally anything he could possibly have done to cause a problem? Nope.
So now you know. 😀
Thanks for the CLARITY! It really is imperative to educate oneself. People have to remember, “journalists” roles are to steer people to their employer’s websites for clicks/views. Accuracy doesn’t seem to be a priority. Thanks again for the insight.
The fact that is was an unsanctioned, unauthorized visit to a highly restricted area warrants ground for an investigation and disciplinary action. Who know for sure if something else went on without a proper… INVESTIGATION. And in simple terms using an example as well. if you go grab a cup of coffee from the Oval office, you may not have done something risky for national security or endangered the prez, but it should raise concerns because someone is not doing his/her job properly.
Going back to the ATC, the fact that it took a video on social media to notice that it even happened is also very concerning and not blown out if proportion.
TL;DR: it’s not what happened, it’s that it should not have happened at all.
With respect, Luc, your analogy skips over the most critical point. If *I* go get a cup of coffee from the Oval Office, I agree it’s a problem. If the head of the Secret Service team in charge of keeping the Oval secure escorts his own son into the Oval Office for a cup of coffee, surely you wouldn’t argue that it’s remotely comparable, would you?
Back to your original point, the philosophy that rules are rules and must always be blindly obeyed is fine for certain contexts, I suppose, like when you are training not-so-bright lower level staff to perform some function without screwing things up. I suspect that to make it as an ATC you need to be bright enough to understand the reasons behind the rules, so you can know when they make sense, and more importantly, when they don’t.
There are clearly many people in Colombia who think the way you do, and are shrieking that the sky is falling because the rules said that the son wasn’t allowed in that room, but the father brought him in anyway, but to be blunt I find that highly unfortunate.
Personally, I have always been much more interested.in doing what makes sense rather than blindly following rules.
Yep. My thinking exactly. Who cares who says the words. They’ve been vetted and are under control of the controller. Far more dangerous things have been done. Like firing of all controllers who don’t submit to the agenda of the president.
Thank you for elaborating on the circumstances.
Well explained but stop downplaying an important function.Tgere is a reason for protocol.If all professionals didn’t respect their professions as you imply,the world would be upside down
Good heavens – in only three sentences, you managed to argue against two separate things I never said. Far from downplaying, I was very clear that aircraft are typically moving at over a hundred miles an hour, *except* when they are parked at the end of a runway awaiting a green light. And I disagree that I implied anywhere that professionals not “respect their professions”, that’s nonsense. I said very clearly that a trained ATC professional could direct his untrained son to make a non-tine-sensitive radio call, and explained why.
If there is anything in what I actually said that you disagree with, I welcome and encourage you to point it out, I love a good debate. But I am not defending things you only imagined reading.
I agree with you. The son was 18. Probably thinking what type of career do I want to study and pursue. Dad teaching and probably also had on headphones with pilots also. He is 18 , old enough to join the military or choose a major and start college. If the other controllers know it was fine… then it probably was fine. !!! An ok to depart for takeoff and not directing air traffics for landing of multiple airplanes is the big difference. I wish him well in school.
Flight SU593 crushed 30 years ago, because commander allowed his son to play a pilot.
Not the same thing at all
Landing an airplane and giving a verbial clearance are no where near the same thing. Your rediculous.
As tragic and unnecessary as this crash was, it really isn’t the same thing.
The crash of SU593 was tragic and TOTALLY avoidable.
However, after reading Sean’s response I’ve concluded the journalist was sensationalizing the whole thing and deliberately trying to throw people into an unnecessary panic.
That’s a totally different things that you are talking about .
Must have been a young child. I agree on a kid Not flying the plane. This story is not about his father putting his son in a plane. They were air traffic controllers and he was told to tell this plane they were ok for takeoff- big difference. And 18 is old enough to join the military, or go to college and choose his own major.
LOL…. Until now ! … And now I wonder how future ATC employment prospects will work out for his son ! ..
The stupidity gene is allowed to propagate !
… lol
So, What’s the big deal.
Is not like he left them alone to make those decisions.
He was probably right there telling them what to say.
You were not there, so mathematical probability of you being right in your comment, is integer of zero
Your right it is not a big deal. The process leading up to the clearance command is much more important than the transmitted words. It show the immaturity and overreactions of a person in a position of power,
All I could think of is when several years ago the Captain of one airliner brought both his son and daughter onto the flight deck and allowed them to “get the feeling” of steering the airplane. After the girl had her turn them the boy took the yoke, the father manipulating the controls to make it seem like the boy was actually steering it. Somehow the autopilot got switched off and before the father realized the serious nature of the problem, control of the plane was lost and it crashed, killing everyone on board.
Way to go, Captain! Getting everyone killed just because you indulged your young children on a quasi “Take Your Kids to Work Day”!
Retired GS-2152-11 controller. Was in rehab for back injury. Therapist was smitten with an airline pilot, I think his name was Frank, telling a personal experience about some controller letting their kid talk on the mic. They thought it was cute and saw nothing wrong with it. I told them it was unprofessional and could be a problem if anything went wrong for any reason. Can you imagine if the controller at DCA had their kid talking on the mic? I don’t care if the kid wished a pilot happy birthday. What do you think the blowback would be when the nightly news loops the kids voice in between pictures of a midair?? We would need Frank to explain why it’s no big deal…
Whatever it is, if a Father is having sex with Son’s Mother, does it mean that he should keep his Son with him to guide for future marriage???? Rules are Rules, followed to the last character of clause.
So, big deal; prior to 911 back in 1988 en route to starting a nee life in Europe after having been born and raised in colonial southern Africa aka Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, on a flight into Sydney international airport (Mascot) on board a 747 jumbo 800, I was invited onto the flightdeck (cockpit) by the captain and sat in his seat, beside the first officer with the captain behind me (all owing to someone I knew as a very senior authority in that airline (had been a client of mine).
As decent began (first officer announcing to the passengers), I ‘unstrapped’ and made to go back to my seat BUT the Captain said “Stay there, would you really like to pass up the opportunity to say you landed a boeing 747 into Sydney airport? Just do what the first officer (or I) request of you.”
Thus on instruction, I put down the landing gear (I am NOT a pilot but have been allowed to take control of small aircraft bedide the pilot often before). So we landed very safely with my hands on the controls as with the first officer. I exited the plane with them and parted ways at immigration control in Sydney; now in my book, hopefully soon to be published as I take on a GIANT in media who is suspected of being a part of my 10 year old daughter’s death in 2009; corporate manslaughter by direct assiciation as HE tries to fight off Donald Trump…. Stay tuned, it could get messy BUT as David took on Goliath single handedly; EVERYONE laughing at him prior (an allegely ‘simple shepherd boy’ NO ONE would or wanted to help HOWEVER, the Lord Almighty was on his side as he is mine…
Sorry a few typos above, first should say ‘a NEW life in…’ might be more, you know how it is? 🤔😉😂
Hmmm now noted my original comment SEEMS to have been deleted (hope I’m wrong) or do you have no real guts to publish THE TRUTH?
Take your kid to work teach him your trade , how will they learn from us , you should be ashamed
The video and distraction in tower is issue proper permission on slow time should be permitted as tour group to support individuals interested in job. Use of radio may be another issue I’m sure parent had full control there is radios in every aircraft kids use every day as untrained co pilots
The verbal transmission of the clearance is not a big deal. This is completely blown out of proportion and should be dropped. Anyone who thinks this is a huge concern should really rethink their position.
Flight instructors allow student, non-rated pilots talk on the radio all of the time. That is how they get experience. In the US it is quite common for aspiring pilots to take “discover flying” rides to see if they want to pursue it further. Four things I do with students and aspiring applicants; let them take off, fly them over their house or a local landmark, let them talk on the radio and let them land.
Colombia has a very sophisticated and modern ATC system; been there, worked their, flown their and helped build it. I’m sure they have audio tapes of tower, approach and departure radio transmissions. This is not a big deal unless their regulations prohibit it.
The crash of SU593 was tragic and TOTALLY avoidable.
However, after reading Sean’s response I’ve concluded the journalist was sensationalizing the whole thing and deliberately trying to throw people into an unnecessary panic.
It’s disgusting. There is no imminent danger or so. At least it is disciplinary measures is enough. There is no such thing as criminal offence at all.
Contrary to what other laymen may think.
Us professional aviation personnel are aware that this action was a breach
Of colombia’s civil aviation legislation, regulations and standards.
The controller as excited as he was shouldnhave exercised better judgement.
Will licenced controllers present it is my opinion that the boy was closely supervised however
He was not authorized to be on frequency as an untrained personnel.
Disciplinary action may be warranted but without all the details regarding the sequence of events
I cannot give a fair opinion of what disciplinary should be since the father’s action
Have great safety and security implications.
The kid probably sounded better than many of the ATC trainees I work with on a daily basis. When we have training going on, a large percentage of the transmissions are being made by inexperienced controllers, closely monitored by highly experienced controllers. So what is the difference? Many years ago I was working in a tower and had a gentleman visitor watching his son, an F14 pilot, depart. We let the father clear the son for takeoff and it brought tears to his eyes. Common sense always needs to be used but the first thought doesn’t always need to be someone screaming “There needs to be an investigation!”.
Well explained but stop downplaying an important function.There is a reason for protocol.If all professionals didn’t respect their professions as you imply,the world would be upside down