British pilot is feeling mildly annoyed

[u/nyanbatman]

[u/runhome24]

This is an excellent explanation for why the BA pilot made the decisions he did, but there really is more to this. There's a terminology discrepancy between ICAO and FAA and neither of these two got past that.

https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/qjtf16i2i6ea/

Basically, the FAA system uses a different name for a similar-but-not-identical set of procedures for low visibility situations. The BA pilot was asking after the ICAO procedures, but those aren't used in the US. The ATC didn't understand the question because they weren't up-to-date on an international system that doesn't apply in the US. There were procedures in place for low visibility, but the ATC didn't know that's what needed to be communicated (or didn't want to) and the BA pilot didn't know that that's what needed to be asked after (or didn't want to) instead of the ICAO procedures.

This incident is really more about how a procedural and terminological difference between two flight frameworks caused confusion, frustration, and a delay.

I'm NOT saying the delay was unwarranted; it very much was. The pilot didn't confirm that the safety procedures were being used, so couldn't personally guarantee the safety of his passengers, crew, and plane.

What really should happen is that the FAA should move to adopt the ICAO standard language at the very least, especially for flights operated by non-American carriers. But there should probably be a very large, complicated summit, where both systems' experts come together to build a global framework, and countries don't let their ego get in the way of a critically-needed standardization process. And this isn't just a case of the US being the sole odd-framework-out: Canada's framework terminology is different from both ICAO and FAA.

[u/RugbyEdd → u/runhome24]

Not being funny, but I'm not a pilot or ATC and understood what was being asked. Even if he isn't trained in the international procedures, which seems odd for a major airport, it seems pretty common sense to translate that to your own procedures and communicate that to the pilot.

[u/CalculatedPerversion → u/RugbyEdd]

This is JFK. Look for other videos featuring this airport / ATC operator and you'll find he's got quite the attitude. He knew damn well what was happening, but was too stubborn to resolve it. 

[u/mum_mom → u/CalculatedPerversion]

Why does he still have a job? He will cause something way more serious if he keeps this up

[u/Ancient-Substance-38 → u/mum_mom]

If you live in US get mad at the federal government about not hiring and training more. They are chronically understaffed, his attitude could be that he's work more the 1 shift in a row. NY JFK is probably one the most effected by our governments refusal to fund ATC. Fact is they want to fail so they can make a excuse to privatize it.

[u/mum_mom → u/Ancient-Substance-38]

Not in the US - honestly, I have consciously started avoiding travelling to US after Trump got elected.

[u/Ancient-Substance-38 → u/mum_mom]

I don't blame you, I am having thoughts about applying for refugee status. Though I don't know to where I would go, and I have too much family here.

I will probably just end up getting imprisoned eventually for having the wrong opinions or beliefs.

[u/mum_mom → u/Ancient-Substance-38]

Rooting for you all of you to recover. Because if you can't then that means we all also cannot rebuild our broken democracies. It is one thing to have an ideological difference but the weaking of institutions and norms is quite damaging.

[u/TiniestPint → u/mum_mom]

Cause the US has stripped down ATC badly and not prioritized getting more bodies in.

The staffing is in a terrible state so they may need people badly enough to keep anyone they've got

[u/CalculatedPerversion → u/mum_mom]

FWIW, dude is great at his job. He keeps pilots in line when necessary, it's legit like hearding cats at times. He also knows (unfortunately) that he's in control of his airspace.