Father Brings His Kids To Work Twice In One Week, Allowing Them To Transmit Directions To Pilots On Runway

FAA Not Amused By Stunt, Place Controller, Supervisor On Leave

NEW YORK (CBS) It's a disturbing twist on "Take Your Child To Work" day.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating employees at the John F. Kennedy International Airport air-traffic control tower for apparently allowing at least two school-age children to transmit directions to pilots.

CBS 2 has learned on two separate occasions in February, an air traffic controller from Long Island brought a child with him to work at JFK. The first incident occurred on Feb. 16, and the FAA told CBS 2 HD on Wednesday that a second child was brought into the tower by the controller a day later on Feb. 17.

At least one of the children was said to be 7 years old. The controller and his supervisor have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The 7-year-old spoke with several departing flights.

Child: "Jet Blue 171 cleared for take-off."
JB 171: "Cleared for takeoff, JetBlue 171."
Controller: "Aero Mexico 403, Kennedy, 31L position and hold."
AMX 403: "Position and hold Aero Mexico 403."
Controller: "Here's what you get, you guys, when the kids are out of school."
Child: "JetBlue 171 contact departure."
JB 171: "Over to departure, JetBlue 171, awesome job."

On the tape, the boy speaks only to planes on the ground awaiting takeoff and then clearly at the direction of the adult on duty, but experts say the boy's mere presence in the control tower represents an inappropriate distraction and a security breach.

At the time though, the pilots and controller seem more amused than alarmed.

Controller: "Cactus 14, Kennedy following an RJ, wind 310 at 15, 31 R cleared to land."
Son: "Contact departure, adios amigos."
JB 195: "Adios amigos, over to departure JetBlue 195."

Even people who are sympathetic with the childcare needs of a working parent are baffled by the judgment of this air controller.

"That's scary for everybody. You can't do that. That's risking a lot of people's lives," said JFK air passenger Shamir Ali.

The child is heard communicating with multiple pilots on an active runway at one of the nation's busiest airports. Though some of the pilots seem to be impressed, FAA officials are not, saying in a written statement: 

"Pending the outcome of our investigation, the employees involved in this incident are not controlling air traffic. This behavior is not acceptable and does not demonstrate the kind of professionalism expected from all FAA employees."

A spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association released this statement:

"We do not condone this type of behavior in any way. It is not indicative of the highest professional standards that controllers set for themselves and exceed each and every day in the advancement of aviation safety."

And while the transmission may have momentarily broken up the tension in a notoriously stressful profession, there's a chance the tower employee in question may very well be forced to say goodbye to his job.

"It was cute but it's not safe. I don't think it's safe for a kid to be up in the control tower," said air passenger Bo Seebakack.

The FAA said the control tower is a highly secure area for air traffic controllers, supervisory staff and airport employees with a need to be there.

FAA spokesman Jim Peters said children of the tower's employees are allowed to visit but would need to get approval from the FAA first.

A good air traffic controller is typically a focused multi-tasker, who is calm, cool and collected under pressure.

How then could the boy's father believe that his child was capable of manning the controls of one of the nation's busiest airports?

Airport officials are looking into not only why the controller allowed the child to get on the microphone, but how the child was able to access the secure area in the first place.

CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg said no one has the authority to communicate with a "sterile" c**kpit.

Child: "Good Day dude."
DAL 216: "Delta 216, see you later dude."