NPR Radio: Controller Talks a Student Down
A wonderful story on All Things Considered of a great air traffic controller John Charleton, who is tonight receiving an Archie League Medal of Safety Awared from the National ATC Assn. This is best experienced by listening to the actual NPR radio recording here, because you can hear the radio chat back and forth between John, the Tower Controller, and a young student Pilot who has trouble landing her C172 in squirrely conditions. (Text link here).
This is a great story of a knowledgeable and thoughtful controller in Roanoke who went the extra mile and literally the new Pilot.
You can hear the tension in the situation, and we can all understand how it feels to be alone and in a scary situation up in the sky. I think we can all relate to how this Student Pilot feels. . . I know myself that sometimes in hard IFRor at night it’s nice just to hear the voice of ATC . In this case, Charleton does an excellent job of walking her through the final approach and touchdown in what sounds like cross-wind conditions.
Congratulations John on the safe landing of this Skyhawk. It is good to know that ATC has folks like you around looking out for all of us aloft.
Thank you!
March 17, 2009 at 7:00 pm
I hadn’t heard this piece. Thanks for sharing. The girl actually sounds fairly calm throughout.