Air Traffic Controller’s Frustration Goes Viral
If you’re anything like me and have a soft spot for the eccentric world of aviation, then listen up — we’ve got a real gem here. Picture this: an air traffic controller at Newark International Airport, having a go at a pilot. The exchange is a masterpiece of misunderstood aviation instructions, culminating with the controller saying, “it’s not confusing for me.” Oh, bless the skies!
Pilot Annoys Air Traffic Controller at Newark
So, according to our pals over at VASAviation, there was this little incident. Imagine the wee hours of the morning on July 5, 2025. While America was still reeling from post-July 4 fireworks, Newark was serving up a nice slice of nighttime drama. Our protagonists here? A seasoned 44-year-old Twin Commander 840 dubbed N840JW.
Seriously, you’ve got to see the four-minute soundbite to appreciate the magic.
The stage was set with two aircraft pronto on the ground — our star N840JW (a swanky private plane) and an Emirates Boeing 777 on its way to Athens.
Now, let’s cut to the chase. N840JW takes a scenic route, navigating inappropriately like a confused tourist. Sure, he could have been a tad more organized, but hey, it’s all in the delivery, right? Those air traffic controller instructions were like eavesdropping on a GPS having a breakdown.
See, keeping commands short and snappy is an art. Pilots jot them down like high-stakes shopping lists. Add a chapter of War and Peace, and you’re bound to have some turbulence.
The drama unfolds when the plane nearly struts its stuff onto an active runway, and the controller loses it — “what’s going on, man?” After firing off another set of instructions, there’s that golden line: “it’s not confusing for me.” Well, I hope not, honey. That tarmac is like your office desk! Imagine spending over 40 hours a week there and still needing a GPS.
An audience member summed it up pretty ace on the VASAviation video:
Possible pilot deviation, got a number for you to call. Ready to jot it down? Cool, start with 9 – yup, that’s on your keypad’s bottom right, move two buttons left to 7, then diagonally over to 3…
An Interaction That Drags On
Alright, I’ll give credit where due, our pilot probably should’ve had Newark’s layout down pat or at least peeped at the charts. He took it calmly, apologized, unlike our dear controller.
In the controller’s defense, her storytelling didn’t exactly help matters. The chaos of those taxiways probably felt like solving a rubik’s cube while blindfolded, especially under her guidance.
Still, throwing “it’s not confusing for me” out there tops the absurdity cake. Can you believe it? An air traffic controller shrugging off her own muddled directions. Remember, less is always more.
It’s hard to imagine her managing Newark at full throttle, given she nearly hit the limit in this spat alone…
The Takeaway
At Newark, an air traffic controller lost her cool with a pilot, who meandered off course. While yes, the pilot could’ve prepped better, the controller didn’t really de-cloud the sky with her intricate instructions. Initially well-meaning, she perhaps misjudged brevity’s value.
You’re the judge — What do you think of this ATC showdown? Trying her hand at skiing instead? Discover the Val Seny ski resort for a different kind of adventure.