Nothing against furries, but this doesn’t strike me as the time or place…
In this post:
Pilots frustrate ATC at Washington National Airport
Audio has been posted online from recent air traffic control interactions at Washington National Airport (DCA). The claim is that this involves pilots of two separate planes, both regional jets (flying on behalf of American Eagle and Delta Connection). In the roughly 20-second clip posted online:
- You can hear one voice say “meow meow”
- Then you hear another voice (presumably the air traffic controller?) say “you guys need to be professional pilots”
- The cat person then starts saying “meow meow meow meow,” and then another voice is heard saying “ruff ruff ruff ruff”
- That same voice as above is then heard saying “this is why you still fly an RJ”
- There’s then another “meow meow”
- Then that person says “it was funny the first five minutes, thank you very much”
You can listen to the air traffic control audio for yourself below.
What on earth is actually going on in this interaction?!
There’s not much context for this incident, since it’s just a short clip. So while the claim is that it was pilots making those noises and that the other person is the controller, I obviously can’t personally vouch for that, since voices are “anonymous.”
Air traffic controllers and pilots do sometimes have fun on frequency, and it’s nice to see that. However, if these pilots were actually doing this for an extended period of time on frequency, then that’s problematic. After all, even if we take distractions out of the equation, it uses up the frequency, and could step on transmissions from other pilots.
Furthermore, not to be too much of a party pooper, but I also feel like it’s in bad taste to do this in DCA of all places, where a regional jet crashed early last year on final, killing everyone onboard. It’s just concerning that even after the pilots were told to be professional, they kept going with it.
Why these pilots were so interested in making animal noises remains a mystery…
Bottom line
Two pilots reportedly made some strange noises on an air traffic control frequency at DCA, as they “meowed” and “ruffed.” It’s one thing to be funny for a moment, but it sounds like this went on for some time, and even when they were asked to stop, they didn’t immediately do so. This seems really unprofessional to me, so I’m curious if there’s any context I’m missing…
What do you make of this strange ATC interaction?
Scary if you asked me. Play after you land. Very, very immature. What were the airlines again?. Reasons not to fly them.
Pilots have become such Yahoo’s
Furries are groomers and have no business being responsible for the safety of the public in any capacity.
Ugh. I could write a book about this one.
Okay, pilots have to work two radios at the same time - VHF 1 for the current ATC controller, and VHF 2 for "guard" aka 121.5. The frequency you use on VHF 1 will change about every 10-15 minutes. We are required to monitor this second frequency the whole flight, and it doesn't change. 121.5 is used nationwide for emergency transmissions, and is also used if...
Ugh. I could write a book about this one.
Okay, pilots have to work two radios at the same time - VHF 1 for the current ATC controller, and VHF 2 for "guard" aka 121.5. The frequency you use on VHF 1 will change about every 10-15 minutes. We are required to monitor this second frequency the whole flight, and it doesn't change. 121.5 is used nationwide for emergency transmissions, and is also used if you get out of range of the ATC controller's transmitter (on VHF 1) and they cannot contact you (you'd hear them try on 121.5 and give you a new frequency to contact on VHF 1).
For whatever reason, some pilots amuse themselves by randomly making a cat "meow" sound on 121.5. It's almost like a verbal meme, and I hear it at least once per week. Once someone does it, usually a few others echo it back. It's almost always the younger RJ pilots. How do I know that? 1) You NEVER hear a "meow" (literally - never) when flying a redeye flight (RJ schedules don't do overnights) and, 2) often, after these jokers have switched their transmitter from radio #1 to radio #2 to go "meow", they forget to switch it back. Remember, they are still listening to both. So, when ATC gives them a frequency change (over radio #1) they answer - but still transmit on radio #2 - which everyone hears. And the callsign is always an RJ company ("Brickyard" or "Envoy" or "Skywest", for example).
It is a problem to congest a frequency that is supposed to be for emergency use only. The bigger issue, as it's taken by the bigger airlines, it that it shows a serious lack of judgement on the part of the pilots who do it. I work for an airline you know, and have flown. We have fired pilots who, during their on-line checkout as a new hire (the first few trips with an evaluating Captain) or while on probation (and subject to evaluation by line Captains) they did "meow!" on guard. When told "We don't do that here" they replied with something like "you just don't understand my generation." They were shown the door.
Pilots face situations where judgement is essential - take the recent "Low Pass" of the retiring pilot in Greenland. If you think it's okay to make jokes on the emergency frequency (when it's against FAA and company policies) what other policies do you think are okay to intentionally violate, just to be anonymously "funny"? If your judgement is questionable, you won't be operating a plane for where I work.
Someday "meowing" on guard will stop. Unfortunately, that day is not today.
There is a time and place for everything. These incidents were neither the time nor the place. At one major airport, a tower controller sounded exactly like "Buzz Lightyear". "Left on delta, right on bravo, XX531. Thanks Buzz!" "YYY ground, ZZZ635 ready for taxi." "ZZZ635, taxi runway 35R via alpha, bravo, hold short runway 35R." After the read back, the pilot would say, "...thanks Buzz!" That was just a cheery greeting, not some child with...
There is a time and place for everything. These incidents were neither the time nor the place. At one major airport, a tower controller sounded exactly like "Buzz Lightyear". "Left on delta, right on bravo, XX531. Thanks Buzz!" "YYY ground, ZZZ635 ready for taxi." "ZZZ635, taxi runway 35R via alpha, bravo, hold short runway 35R." After the read back, the pilot would say, "...thanks Buzz!" That was just a cheery greeting, not some child with a pilot certificate. These "little boys and girls" will find out IF they make it to the majors...we don't play sandbox games like this. We may have fun occasionally but if a voice is recognized, guaranteed at my company...they will get a call from a line check, base chief pilot's office OR...gawd forbid...the system chief pilot. It won't be pretty either. As far as 121.5/guard. We are required to monitor it as we take the runway for departure. Prior to that, #2 comm is company, ramp, ground, etc.
I’m former ATC. Agree 100%. Wouldn’t tolerate this ever. You’d get the semi-dreaded “I have a number for you to call”. All of you guys with themoronic comments do know you’re morons, right? Hello?
Well, he did a really good meow.
I like it 'ruff.'
I was impressed as well !
Heaven forbid guys have hobbies
FYI Ben- big United Polaris access changes (partner eligibility changing- no TK/SQ/ET/MS)
https://www.reddit.com/r/unitedairlines/comments/1sm5ux9/new_polaris_lounge_access_rules/
Clips clipped and commented on by non pilots (not you Ben, I mean the original poster). Just the normal unprofessional antics by the immature 5% you’ll find on guard freq anywhere across the country. Doesn’t sound like a controller rebuffing them at all, probably just a passing airliner who was driven to madness by unprofessional childlike behavior while he dutifully monitoring guard on VHF 2 as required.
Whether Ben or the OP commenting on this, I see no need to gatekeep. You don't have to be a crew member or ATC, to recognize that this was inappropriate.
Some call this 'The Courtier’s Reply'... such 'appeals to experience' shift the focus away from the validity of an argument onto the personal background of the person making it. It's a logical fallacy; a lazy trope.
For instance, another occasional commenter, DesertGhost, often...
Whether Ben or the OP commenting on this, I see no need to gatekeep. You don't have to be a crew member or ATC, to recognize that this was inappropriate.
Some call this 'The Courtier’s Reply'... such 'appeals to experience' shift the focus away from the validity of an argument onto the personal background of the person making it. It's a logical fallacy; a lazy trope.
For instance, another occasional commenter, DesertGhost, often facetiously asks, 'since when were you an airline CEO?' (especially to Gary over at VFTW), as if one has to be in that role to have an opinion. Psh. No.
I never said Ben should “gatekeeper” and I agree it was highly inappropriate…. Only that the commentary from the OP is most likely an erroneous take from a non aviator. I was here to provide what this most likely presented….As I said this was most likely on guard frequency and the participant that admonished the children on that freq was most likely not ATC. Like I said it was 5probably a passing airborne aircraft that...
I never said Ben should “gatekeeper” and I agree it was highly inappropriate…. Only that the commentary from the OP is most likely an erroneous take from a non aviator. I was here to provide what this most likely presented….As I said this was most likely on guard frequency and the participant that admonished the children on that freq was most likely not ATC. Like I said it was 5probably a passing airborne aircraft that was forced to listen to this. Do you have a problem with additional perspective on the matter when we both agree that these activities are the height of unprofessionalism.
What are you disagreeing with exactly?
121.5 is the emergency frequency and that is where this stuff often goes on... when it is done on approach/departure or local airport frequencies it is even worse.
The controller is right. There is a maturity that is required to be part of the national ATC system and clogging up important lifelines with childish games is why some people won't cut it.
and there is nothing really anonymous in anything that involves electronics including radio transmissions.
Tim, you of all people wanna lecture us on "clogging up important lifelines with childish games"??
I know the difference between what is an essential lifeline and what is not.
if you are on it, it won't be essential, my friend. :-)
you do play tennis and know about mean backhands, don't you?
Tim, in your head, you must think you're pulling a 'golden set' all the time. In reality, you're celebrating your own double-fault. Keep trying that top-spin, sir!
Hear! Hear!
clearly the Delta pilot was the dog, the ALPHA in the situation. and he was dominating the cat, or the AA pilot
Premium alpha dog.