Rambling Newark Air Traffic Controller Loses Patience With Pilot

US ATCs: "We're too busy and overworked."
Also US ATCs: "Let's create a completely unnecessary conflict on frequency to create more workload for ourselves."

I fly into Newark all the time (airline pilot). If you operate there, you better know what you are doing. Yes, the controller was a bit brusk, but that is normal for EWR/JFK. Not a place for amateurs. I imagine it is very frustrating for the controllers. Not an excuse for being unprofessional. I think the controller in this case was not out of line, just expressing her frustration.

Quelle surprise... yet another unprofessional US ATC employee.

Newark is a mess. I avoid it at all costs.

Normalising the controller's attitude is a part of the problem. The problem being av safety.

I ageee the pilot needs to have a better familiarity. No doubt about that.

This however cannot excuse the controller's behaviour. They have a critical role, and a level-headed, cooperative approach is fundamental for a safe operation.

I'm guessing there's a reason they put her on the night shift.

Agreed. I'm also a pilot (though not for the airlines) and there was absolutely nothing in the conversation that was out of line or inappropriate. At large, very busy airports like this one, pilots are expected to have their act together, be on their "A game", know their stuff, and not get lost or make wrong turns while taxiing. Missing a turn while taxiing, making a wrong turn, failing to hold short, or otherwise failing to correctly follow taxi instructions is a very serious thing, and can quickly lead to a disaster, or at least to delays and complications for lots of others. The pilot of the corporate aircraft screwed up, and remained disoriented as he continued. The controller was indeed a little snarky, but not excessively so, and her comments were within the bounds of normal operations. If you've got such a fragile ego that this would have upset you, then you have no business being behind the controls of a tricycle, never mind an aircraft operating at an airport like EWR. This conversation is a complete non-issue. A slow news day I assume.

Honestly, what does private aviation have on the grounds of major airports? Look, if you have the time and aircraft, flying out of a private one instead of congesting a major gateway like EWR. This is unless you are delivering medical supplies, you should have no business interfering with the grounds of others. Not sorry.

I spent many, many hours in control towers and radar rooms. I trained many new controllers during my 40+ years. The most important thing a controller does is "communicate!" The EWR controller wasn't really doing this well and probably needs a refresher in proper phraseology. She should have been more patient and helpful. Pilots sometimes make mistakes, as all of us do; a controllers' job includes helping them which can avoid or minimize unsafe actions!

Add in the fact Teterboro is a few miles away and much better set up for business aviation.

Then again, this pilot may well have screwed up the circling approach to runway 1.

I’m a long-retired controller, so acknowledge I am somewhat out of the loop, but when I was in the business, I always ratcheted up my patience for aircraft I knew were unfamiliar, and tried to go out of my way to give slower and clearer instructions. In the long run, it usually paid off.

I fly for a major airline and have operated in and out of KEWR many times. One might think that the pilot of the private aircraft was unable to follow simple instructions, but I'm here to tell you that those taxiway intersections look like a sea of pavement when you're sitting close to ground in the type of aircraft he was in. It is challenging. Even pilots in larger aircraft who are sitting 15-20' above the ground have difficulties in these type of intersections where several taxiways converge. It can be like walking into a huge ballroom, where you can't see all the exits; just a gigantic space. Disorienting.

She was trying to do him a favor by putting him ahead of the heavy. I don’t think her instructions were confusing at all. She got annoyed with him because he almost entered an active runway without clearance.
I’m a former pilot and 30 year veteran air traffic controller at MIA and she didn’t do anything wrong.

Controller womansplained it to pilot...

This kind of stuff is just related to the USA (mostly NY). People saying the airport is busy… well I have news for you there are plenty of other busy airports in the world with properly trained controllers. I have never heard this kind of nonsense phraseology other than in the USA also. It’s the 3rd world, sorry thats the reality, it shows also in the amount of accidents and incidents related to ATC in the US.
Maybe take a look once how extremely professional the London area is run !

It may be due to recent changes at Newark, which add to the confusion.

"Don't try to describe the ocean if you've never seen it"
The controller is not alone in that control tower. She began by trying to expedite the safe departure of the Commander. She is coordinating with several other controllers and those taxiing aircraft. She did let her frustration (or was that just outstanding NJ attitude) show a little. She continued to adapt to the situation and work for the best solution. The pilot of the Commander is a good pilot. He made some wrong turns, but realized he was at a runway and since he had not been cleared to cross, he called the controller. His remark about the instructions being 'confusing' was as much an admission as an accusation. Imagine you're approaching one of those NJ Turnpike interchanges at night, your wife is next to you telling you which way to go and your son is looking at the GPS from the backseat and telling you which lane you should be in. Confusing? As a former controller and a private pilot, I have always thought that every controller should have a private pilots certificate and every pilot should be required to have a minimum number of hours of familiarization at various ATC facilities.

Lol I'd bet London ATC isn't working 26 days a month with 4 days off and 60 hour work weeks.

I've been a controller for 38 years, at some of the busiest airports. She's inexcusable. But then she's probably a NYer. They suck with attitude frequently. To then become a smart ass on frequency was so totally wrong. I've heard some super funny things transmitted, by both controllers and pilots. But they were obviously done with intentional humor and when the traffic situation safely permitted. She's just sounding like a smart ass bitch. Pilot 1, controller 0. Oh yea. Which one of us never seriously screwed up? When you live in a glass house, don't throw stones! Because your time is coming...guaranteed.

Ok. I listened to it again. She means no harm. But she is who she is, has that smart ass NE attitude which is just normal communications for her. So who ever you are, sorry. You just can't help it. But as one pilot once said, so glad she isn't my wife. And you really need to cut that BS phraseology way down and try to keep it simple. If the pilots don't understand, yes, I know you do, then there has been no communications and all that time and transmission was for nothing. Can't blame it on "stupid pilots", yea I know when the mike is not triggered, we all do sometimes. You listen to a few tapes of yourself and see if you can improve communicating, because that's what you must do. Oh yea, I'm a 60 year pilot also.

Love the Buffet reference and your analysis is pretty good too

I've worked at EWR for over 30+ years and will be retiring soon. This controller came to us from Chicago maybe a year or two ago. The communications are not your standard phraseology, and this has become acceptable behavior for ATC at EWR. From the seat that I sit in there's a lack of leadership that allows this type of behavior.