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.