America
US suspends 2 for movie watching while on duty
Updated: 2011-04-19 11:01
(Agencies)
WASHINGTON - The United States Federal aviation officials say another air traffic controller has been suspended, this time for watching a movie when he was supposed to be monitoring aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement on Monday that it had suspended a controller and a manager at a regional radar facility in Cleveland that handles high altitude air traffic.
The air traffic control facility became aware that the controller was watching a DVD early Sunday morning when his microphone was inadvertently activated. For more than three minutes, the movie's soundtrack was transmitted over the radio throughout the air traffic area he was monitoring.
The controller became aware of the problem when contacted by the pilot of a military plane.
The incident follows at least five cases of controllers falling asleep on duty.
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