Pilots probed for 'meowing' on radio
The FAA is investigating pilots who were heard meowing and barking over an air-traffic control frequency near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and the agency reminded crews that non-essential talk is prohibited below 10,000 feet. Clips of the incident spread online and were reported by multiple outlets that say controllers later heard more animal noises after asking pilots to stop. (nytimes.com) (nbcwashington.com) (huffpost.com)
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating pilots heard meowing and barking over a Washington air-traffic control frequency on April 12. (abcnews.com) The exchange was recorded near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and the pilots were told on frequency, “You guys need to be professional.” Reports from ABC News and NBC Washington said more animal noises followed the reprimand. (abcnews.com) (nbcwashington.com) The Federal Aviation Administration said it reviews “all situations where pilots may have violated any regulation,” and officials have not publicly identified the crews, airlines, or flight numbers involved. NBC Washington said that remained unclear as of April 16. (nbcwashington.com) (wjla.com) The case landed in a part of aviation with little room for improv. Federal rules bar airline pilots from nonessential conversation during taxi, takeoff, landing, and other operations below 10,000 feet. (ecfr.gov) (faa.gov) That requirement is known as the sterile cockpit rule. NASA said the Federal Aviation Administration adopted it in 1981 after accidents in the 1970s in which cockpit distraction was a factor. (asrs.arc.nasa.gov) The radio channel in the viral clip has also drawn attention because pilots and controllers rely on shared frequencies for short, precise calls in crowded airspace around Washington. ABC News reported that Dennis Tajer of the Allied Pilots Association said “idle humor” on that channel “should stop.” (abcnews.com) Others in aviation framed the episode as a bad joke rather than a safety event. NBC Washington quoted retired pilot Jeff Abraham saying the pilots were “just having a momentary joke” and that “sometimes a little levity reduces tension.” (nbcwashington.com) The Federal Aviation Administration’s next step is to decide whether the audio points to a regulatory violation or a lesser matter handled administratively. Under federal enforcement rules, the agency can close a case, take administrative action, or pursue legal enforcement after an investigation. (ecfr.gov) For now, the clip that spread online as a punchline is being handled as an aviation compliance case, and the pilots behind the noises have not been publicly named. (abcnews.com) (wjla.com)
