You’ve gotta be kitten me.
A pair of pilots were scolded for making cat and dog noises over an air traffic control frequency — and the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the now-viral incident.
“Meow meow,” one pilot said, according to an audio snippet from the air traffic control audio from Reagan National Airport, obtained from ATC.com.
The other pilot barks back like a dog in response, according to the clip, which was recorded on April 12, ABC News reported.
“You guys need to be professional,” someone chides them on the same frequency as they continue making animal noises.
“This is why you still fly an RJ,” the other person then chides, referring to a regional jet, on which many pilots start their flying careers.
It’s not clear which flight the pilots were on or which airline they worked for.
The FAA said it prohibits pilots from engaging in “non-essential conversations” when they’re below 10,000 feet in altitude.
“Conversations must be related to the safe operation of the aircraft. The FAA investigates all situations where pilots may have violated any regulation,” the agency said in a statement.
Dennis Tajer, pilot and spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, the union that represents American Airlines pilots, said he has heard meowing before on the “guard” frequency, which is reserved for emergencies.
“Anything that contaminates that with idle humor or any kind of schtick is not received well and it should stop,” he told ABC News.
It’s not clear on which frequency the pilots were making the noises.
Steve Abraham, who worked as an air traffic controller at JFK Airport for 30 years, told NBC Washington that cracking jokes is “against the rules,” but likened it to “doing 56 in a 55.”
“Certain people in the aviation profession — and I don’t begrudge them of this — expect it to be completely buttoned up 105% of the time,” Abraham told NBC Washington.
“They were just having a momentary joke,” he added. “Sometimes a little levity reduces tension.”
