Infamous JFK air traffic controller now at ISP!

[ISP Pilot]

I'm sure many here who listen to jfk tower have heard this controller. He seems to have a short temper at times, especially with foreign pilots or pilots who don't follow his instructions. Here is some of his banter:

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Several years ago, I remember he was working ground and had a UA flight going to LHR pushback and face the wrong direction. Apparently, one UA flight was going to LHR and the other was going to taxi to the hangar. He thought the LHR flight was going to the hangar. The pilots were not amused and asked for his initials, stating they were going to file a complaint. He kinda laughed it off and tried to downplay it but did give them his initials.

I was quite surprised to be speaking to him while doing stop and gos the other night at ISP. I almost started laughing and then got a little nervous because I didn't want him yelling at me if I said or did something wrong! He was very polite that evening. I almost wanted to ask him if he knows he's on youtube but I decided not to. Maybe next time!

[mmedford]

yes he has been at ISP for quite a while now...

[AA 777]

I'm not sure when he started there, but I know he's been there since at least the summer of 2008. I spoke to him a couple times and he was really cut throat about everything and you better read it back right. Hopefully hes relaxed since then!!! :)

[DHG750R]

There's a controller at LGA like that ... lets just say he's spring-loaded.

[Big Tim #70]

I actually had a bit of a run in with this guy a few months back. He was just a smart ass & nasty. A real Radio Toughguy!

My F.I. told me a story where this guy got into an outright argument with a Helo pilot attempting to land at ISP and refused the guy clearance. The Helo pilot told him that he would just hover outside of the airspace until he was out of fuel and had to declare an emergency.

They all pretty much can't stand this guy there. After my limited exposure to him, I can't say as I blame them.

[NIKV69]

Well he won't have any busy nights at ISP. He may have two blue 737s at the same time.

[AirtrafficController]

You can bet the FAA was not very pleased to see these recordings on YouTube. Now with LiveATC, air traffic controllers can be easily recorded by the public in addition with the FAA.

[Big Tim #70]

You can bet the FAA was not very pleased to see these recordings on YouTube. Now with LiveATC, air traffic controllers can be easily recorded by the public in addition with the FAA.


True, but anybody with a handheld scanner could have listened to them in the past as well.

[mmedford]

True, but anybody with a handheld scanner could have listened to them in the past as well.

Alot less with a scanner, and it's only locally...compared to around the world with liveatc...

[Matt Molnar]

He doesn't sound like a jerk on those JFK tapes. Unless there are other incidents?

[T-Bird76]

Probably a good move for his mental and psychical health, lol

[USAF Pilot 07]

He doesn't sound like a jerk on those JFK tapes. Unless there are other incidents?

He's kind of a d**k and makes the environment hostile. When he started to get stressed, he started freaking out and blaming his mistakes on the pilots. I'm not saying he's not qualified or even good at what he does (I'm sure it takes a fast thinker and someone with a lot of experience and knowledge to control at JFK) and he probably has to deal with pilots who screw up a lot and don't understand/speak english as well as you and I but it's still no excuse for what seems to be a habit pattern of him acting this way.

[wunaladreamin]

And you are where, doing what short of who??

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[darlyn]

This guy's hilarious, although I probably would think otherwise if I had to deal with him over the freq.

[rtrader]

I worked with this guy at ISP for several years (I retired from the FAA at ISP in Feb. 2008). He was given the chance to transfer from JFK to ISP or be fired from what I understand. Not a bad guy, but very quick tempered on the frequency especially if things don't go the way he thinks it should. As for his time at JFK, they finnally got tired of the way he did things and the way he talked to pilots. That's my understanding of what happened.

[Tom_Turner]

(I retired from the FAA at ISP in Feb. 2008).

Hi Bob! You moved to Indiana? Hope all is well.

Time enough now to maybe scan some of those slides of yesteryear? We'd love to see them someday.

Tom

[Futterman]

I remember when AA 777 called me in the summer of 2008: "Dude, listen to the guy on clearance and tell me if he sounds famililar..." Sure enough, it was Arnold "Arnie" Frank.

We had a few frustrated exchanges one day when an Orion was doing teardrop touch-and-goes up and down both ends of 6/24 about what runway I wanted to take off on and how we were going to maneuver for pattern work. I had no idea what the P3 was doing, and he didn't see a need to share any details or provide any guidance other than "ugh, just let me know what you're going to do, I don't care."

As far as professionalism goes, I'd say he's uniquely skilled. His defense for the JFK debacle was that it was late at night (or early morning, i.e. dark), with zero visibility from the tower (working with ground radar and radio calls only), and lots of airplanes. He managed the situation and completed the job safely.


I worked with this guy at ISP for several years (I retired from the FAA at ISP in Feb. 2008). He was given the chance to transfer from JFK to ISP or be fired from what I understand. Not a bad guy, but very quick tempered on the frequency especially if things don't go the way he thinks it should. As for his time at JFK, they finnally got tired of the way he did things and the way he talked to pilots. That's my understanding of what happened.

I took a PPL student up to the tower to show him the ATC side of things after a lesson one day (at least that's what I told him; I just wanted to meet this guy). What we hear on the radio is not just his controller persona, it's actually how he seemed to act in normal conversation. He explained the same thing - how the FAA gave him an ultimatum, either take ISP and a pay cut or get the boot - and he had several choice words for LiveATC when I mentioned that he is a bit of an internet celebrity.

Bob, what are you doing in Evansville? I'm up in West Lafayette.

Brian

[ch2tdriver]

Oh yeah.......we were worked by this guy a few weeks ago and I see what you mean. Here is what transpired in our case:

I was with my student in a C-150 and he is just getting started with the radios. After copying clearence he called up ground and spoke to this guy.

40X: LI Ground....Cessna 40X....Student Pilot with information India at Mid Island....Taxi for Takeoff.

Ground: Cessna 40X Ground......You don't say TAKEOFF, only I say TAKEOFF.......but that's beside the <mumble as voice trails off>. Taxi to Runway 33L via A, S, Left on C and a right on 10.

What was he getting at? OK...so now my student knows to keep it to "Taxi Active" or just "Taxi...", but I don't see why he felt he had to say it the way he did? I checked the AIM and Pilot/Controller glossary but found nothing that specifically states how one should contact Ground and any phraseology to avoid.

Any ideas?

Pete

[Futterman]

ch2tdriver,

*sigh*

Air traffic controllers are the only ones who are prohibited from saying "takeoff" outside of "cleared for takeoff". Sure, it's a bad idea for pilots to bring it up until they're on the runway, but nothing prohibits it. Arnie blew his top...yet again.

I'd just tell your student to take it in stride and try to laugh it off as best you can. Bring him up to the tower sometime - I did with my student the other summer and we met some of the controllers - including everybody's favorite - and it turned out to be a valuable experience for both my student and myself.

Brian

[ch2tdriver]

Brian,

Thanks for the advice. Nowadays do you need to call ahead in order to visit the tower?

Also I guess that it is best to use "Ready for Taxi", "Taxi active" and even when ready to go to say "Ready for Departure" to play it safe?

Pete

[Big Tim #70]

Brian,

Thanks for the advice. Nowadays do you need to call ahead in order to visit the tower?

Also I guess that it is best to use "Ready for Taxi", "Taxi active" and even when ready to go to say "Ready for Departure" to play it safe?

Pete


Hey Pete,

Are you an instructor at Mid Island?