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Air Traffic Monitoring => Listener Forum => Topic started by: eastern tristar on May 31, 2011, 10:45:35 PM

Title: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: eastern tristar on May 31, 2011, 10:45:35 PM
Just listening to JFK tower tonight and it sounds like "Mike" is retiring.  Lots of pilots offering congratulations and wishing him well (10 - 10:30pm).  He is the super nice guy who is always calm and always gives the pilots so much info and always lets them know what is going on (i.e. "you will be holding in position for in trail spacing...").  It just won't be the same listening to the tower without him.....he sounded sad to go.
Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: stewartahunt on May 31, 2011, 11:22:20 PM
Just heard that too.  Agree with all you say.  Whole crew sounded a bit down.  Feel fortunate to have caught him as he was a fave (incredible voice) and i haven't listened in some time.  I'll say one thing the guy should consider radio, what a voice.  If you read this, best wishes going forward Mike.
Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: mrhahn on June 01, 2011, 05:01:42 PM
Is that the guy who often handed off flights with "great night, safe flight" or similar? Used to love listen to him when he was on Tower!
Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: alltheway on June 01, 2011, 06:25:43 PM
Is that the guy who often handed off flights with "great night, safe flight" or similar? Used to love listen to him when he was on Tower!

I think your guy is Boston John.. not at JFK...
Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: alltheway on June 01, 2011, 06:27:36 PM
Just heard that too.  Agree with all you say.  Whole crew sounded a bit down.  Feel fortunate to have caught him as he was a fave (incredible voice) and i haven't listened in some time.  I'll say one thing the guy should consider radio, what a voice.  If you read this, best wishes going forward Mike.

For him it shouldn't be over just s easy, there's Oshkosh and other flying events to control
Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: cptbrw on June 01, 2011, 06:29:26 PM
Is that the guy who often handed off flights with "great night, safe flight" or similar? Used to love listen to him when he was on Tower!

I believe you re referring to Dennis.
Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: joeyb747 on June 01, 2011, 11:27:13 PM
Is that the guy who often handed off flights with "great night, safe flight" or similar? Used to love listen to him when he was on Tower!

I think your guy is Boston John.. not at JFK...

There is, or was, a controller at KJFK who's catch phrase was "...contact Departure, great flight, great night."
Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: Acey on June 02, 2011, 05:05:04 AM
I think your guy is Boston John.. not at JFK...

No, there's definitely a JFK controller who said "good night, great flight" or something similar.
Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: mrhahn on June 02, 2011, 05:06:45 PM
Is that the guy who often handed off flights with "great night, safe flight" or similar? Used to love listen to him when he was on Tower!

I believe you re referring to Dennis.

That's the one, cheers!

Listening through the archive I now know the controller you mean -- will indeed be sad to see (hear) him go.
Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: cptbrw on June 02, 2011, 07:14:09 PM
I posted a clip between Mike and a Jetblue pilot awhile back (KJFK - Confusion and Reason) and, in the comments, someone referred to him as Alan Alda.  I chuckled when I saw the reference but, the more I thought about it, the more fitting that comparison was.  I will miss listening to him also!
Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: Marty Becker on June 03, 2011, 07:25:48 AM
There is a post somewhere in the forum that said that Mike-"Alan Alda" was shown in this video working a position.  I cannot find the post.  Supposedly, he is the one with the longer grey hair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUIDk_JBdZg
Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: alltheway on June 03, 2011, 07:44:00 AM
 :-D But there's also a bright side, soon we will hear a "fresh" voice over the frequency...  oowwwwwwww...... :evil:

Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: phil-s on June 09, 2011, 02:26:01 AM
Ah, but now we have a  woman with a lovely voice, a pleasure to listen to. She has  a slight accent - maybe French originally? Seems to be doing a very good job. Haven;t heard her yet when KJFK is in one of its crazy modes. I wish her luck and predict she'll do just fine.
Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: Chris Barnes on June 15, 2011, 01:34:41 PM
I'm definitely going to miss listening to Mike. I think what I liked most about him was the fact that no matter how busy he really was you could never tell it in his voice. He always had that calm, soft but clear voice and projected a "I have it all under control" feeling. It seemed to me like when he spoke he always knew exactly what he was going to say and never seemed to stutter, pause, or say "uh".

It's too bad that someone on here had to post that they were glad he retired and say he's incompetent. In the YEARS that I listened to Mike he always seemed to be in complete control. In fact, after listening to him for so long I took some of the things he would do and ways he came across and turned them into my own after I became a controller. I must say that it's worked pretty well.

I almost had a chance to meet him in person but just couldn't get up to JFK before he retired.

CB
KCRW
Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: stingray0 on June 20, 2011, 09:32:47 PM
Yepp, sadly the guy (Mike) retired "end of May" as he said numerous times on the air. On May 31st, he was working his last shift.
The controller frequently handing off departures with "good night, great flight" (deep voice, "Dennis") is still working there.

btw: How you do know their names. They try to avoid using names and mostly do not react at all when names are uttered (from pilots). The only names I came across after years are "JFK-jokers' " (S.A.) and a womans', G.K.
Title: Re: Did a JFK favorite just retire?!:(
Post by: aevins on June 21, 2011, 11:40:20 AM
If by GK you are referring to her real initials (which I assume you are based on SA), she worked at JFK in the 90's and is now a TMC at ZDC.