Still my favorite funny when a plane forgot to call him using their callsign. Unidentified plane: "Ground?" Steve: "Yes, plane." I still get the giggles with that
Another one of his funny jokes is " I'd face the front sir cause if you're looking at the passengers while you're flying they're gonna get scared" , that joke cracks me up every time
I'm happy and sad at the same time. Happy because I gave him nickname Kennedy Steve and published more than 100 video clips of him, but sad because I wasn't the one who made this interview. Great job Joe. I really liked it. 🙂💪🏼
My favorite line. Pilot: Can I follow Morocco air to the runway? Kennedy Steve: Ya you can follow him, I mean don't follow him to Morocco but yeah to the runway is fine.
Who would have thought someone could become this legendary for being an ATC? This guy is the embodiment of doing whatever you do as well as possible no matter what it is.
while still being human. There are a lot of highly skilled people working ATC and they do their job daily without flaw - but Kennedy Steve does that and also shows humor.
Paper version would be easier to translate for international public than an audiobook. As publisher, I surely would buy a license for my country but would love to work on the early stages of such a project. The story of Kennedy Steve has the potential for a real book but it goes far beyond his humoristic conversations. This guy was awarded for his carrer dealing with safety and should not be reduced to the youtube exerpts of radio traffic.
What a complete _gentleman._ When asked, "What's your favorite airline, or which one do you hate most?" the man simply responds, very respectfully, "Well, the Middle Eastern airlines didn't seem to appreciate my humor. But I guess they're very regimented, and that's the way they run things." No insult, no actual "preference" stated, no favoritism, nothing that anyone could possibly criticize him for. A _perfect_ response. And yet it wasn't calculated nor did it seem "rehearsed." The more you know about this amazingly skilled guy, the more you admire and respect him.
@@savantianprince FAA has maximum age limit on ATC's to basically ensure no dementia fkups. He isn't retired from working anything else, ever, he's a ramp controller at Terminal 1 on JFK now, but he is retired from ATC (not by choice).
@@ToreDL87 First, that could explain many, many things about Terminal 1 Ramp in these transcripts (old controllers with full blown dementia). Second, hopefully that now means Terminal 1 Ramp is the model of efficiency.
Kennedy Steve enriched my childhood. Hes a legend. The minute I got my drivers license at 18 I used to drive from Brooklyn to JFK with my brother to hang out, we used to sit in the parking lot directly in front of Terminal 5 TWA terminal, watch the planes and listen to Kennedy Steve on my scanner for hours...ahh good memories...
ATC is an unbelievably difficult and stressful job. Being relaxed and affable but still totally in control is the sign of a master. You see it in great orchestral conductors: knowledge, skill, discipline, respect. Bravo, maestro Steve!
"Tower... this is not a motor-car, it is a jumbo jet, and we are turning as fast as we can!" I just cracked up at the joke (not to mention the wonderful accent!)
sorry cc's weren't clear, what was the full conversation there? Would appreciate if anyone could clear it up for me I got the last line but didn't understand the context before it
@@tehgodofdoooom7909 Here's my best-effort transcript of the conversation leading up to that line: One of my colleagues was working an Air India 747 with somebody right behind him. He says "Air India 101, without delay exit at Victor, traffic short final behind you". "Oh, Roger Tower, Air India 101." He comes back to him, "Air India 101, *no* *delay* turning, got traffic short final, need you off the runway."
Listening to Kennedy Steve always reminded me of a comedian explaining why California has earthquakes and New York doesn't . "Because New Yorkers just wouldn't stand for it!"
And as he said himself, injecting a little humor during stressful times helps everyone. I spent 15 years in EMS/Fire and we always had fun with our dispatch. The best things were usually saved for the phones, not the radio.
It's funny how an air traffic controller can become a global celebrity and a legend like Kennedy Steve has and only by doing his job. The power of the Internet is strange thing.
It wasn't that he was only doing his job. It was how he was doing his job. It's like the Dancing Cop directing traffic sort of thing. Hey, if he got the job done and defused some of the tension around, what's not to love?
Kennedy Steve is a national treasure. The FAA needs to put him in charge of training ATC's nationwide. Sad you didn't get to fly into JFK while he was still working, Captain Joe!
He was a legend. My favourite was when the BA asked what way to face after pushed back and he said “face the front sir, if you sit backwards the passengers will get very concerned”
There are several of these. Here are a couple: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8hh_ns4Mv2A.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8hf-OWMcCgo.html
A huge thanks to Steve - I am no pilot, no ATC, no affiliation with aircraft whatsoever, but I do find the complexity of the industry fascinating - I haven't even started the video yet, as I just clicked on it - but Capt. Joe & Kennedy Steve is a stop what I'm doing moment - thanks to you both - keep the great videos coming Joe! your enthusiasm & prudence are very enlightening
I had to smile at this question: "Does the layout of JFK make sense to you?" Thankfully the ground controller at JFK gave the appropriate answer of "Yes".
Jfk based for 6 years enjoyed steve on the radio, effective, funny, calm and just epic. When you landed and Steve was on shift you felt like you were home. Enjoy retirement! You are missed
I am so happy to finally put a face to the voice. Steve for me even as a controller myself is one of the funniest controllers I have ever heard and love his subtle sense of humor. Thank you so much for the video and asking those questions.
Thank you, Joe! Like many others, I've listened to countless ATC recordings of "Kennedy Steve", and he is indeed a legend. It's great that you got the opportunity to speak with him. Well done!
Always a joy to hear Kennedy Steve's levity. And the tug equipment is sub-par, so we're just happy when the radios actually work. Along with the gas gauges.
It was a good joke, but it also made a point. A transmission without an identification is uninterpretable. If somebody says on the frequency "Ground?" a controller might reply "Would the aircraft calling Ground please identify itself?" Steve's "Yes, plane?" response told the whole story: "I can't do anything for you if I don't know who you are." But instead of reproachful, he made it funny.
I am so glad that this interview occurred and has been shared with us. As a former law-enforcement dispatcher I appreciate, not fully, the stress you go through
My two most awful terrible no good days were the last departure of Concord, and the retirement of Kennedy Steve. There are many nights that I was listening to Kennedy Steve on RU-vid. That voice is a legend in the sky. Kennedy Steve, God Speed, we miss you, hope you enjoy retirement. Many happy and healthy years in front of you.
Young female pilot: "request taxi to the active". Steve: "I'd never taxi to something that's inactive. Taxi via..." Pilot: "Sorry I was giggleing. Say again instructions."
@@adish10988 it's part of the story, puts the giggling into a funnier perspective. Besides: there are plenty of people online eager to debate gender matters with you, but sure as hell I won't.
Kennedy Steve...the man! The legend! Oh boy, it's great to see and hear Steve again! So many great memories... Captain Joe, you seemed a little starstruck - but who wouldn't be! What a great interview. I hope you conveyed to Steve that there are legions of us fans out here - pilots and non-pilots - who admire his work. And we all miss him and wish him well. Thank you for reaching out to him and making this happen.
Steve is still a legend, from all those comments like “Your ramp is fabulous” to “Hey don’t call me, call your ramp”, he is now a terminal or ramp performance manager, it’s what we call in the U.K. “the poacher turned gamekeeper”. Blooming cracking interview Joe.
Thank you for this interview - it is great to put a face to a voice. Kennedy Steve's posture, facial expressions, and voice are all the hallmarks of a professional who really knows their job!
Dave Crupel , oh thank you! I replayed that bit four times but I still couldn’t catch properly what he said. I will be simultaneously laughing and nervous next time I get on an airbus....
@@flywithcaptainjoe Is this the legend himself thanking me? Hmm? In any case you're both an inspiration to me. Thank you Captain Joe and thank you Sir Kennedy.
I can’t imagine being at more stressful workplace with so much responsibility and he manages to joke. This man is something else, i’m glad I watched this .
So happy to see the man behind the mic! Nothing but pure respect for the pilots and tower and the work you do that a passenger doesn’t get to see! So many moving parts at once, yet it all works. Hand salute to all of you!
Kennedy Steve is a legend. I learned, early in my career as a pilot, that a bit of humor never hurts anyone, as long as you do not let it get in the way of keeping things professional and safe. In fact, a taxing and irritating experience can, with a bit of humor, have you walk away with a grin on your face. Kennedy Steve certainly achieved that! At the end of my career, I discovered Kennedy Steve clips on RU-vid, and found that he had managed to make an art-form of this particular way of coping with a stressful profession. I hunted down every single clip and enjoyed them to the hilt!
You mean since the last time you left the exact same comment on another channel? What? that’s what everyone says these days. Same comment, over and over again
I was fortunate enough to similarly reach out to Steve in respect and admiration; and was received with equally gracious humanity. We, as a nation, are literally in debt to a man that brought that same sense of humanity and not-too-full-of-himself "normalcy" which so often, for so many years, brought a sense of "it's okay" to his highly stressful environment. I suspect that many in our country now - whether we wish to admit it to ourselves or not - long for that very sense of "it's okay" for our populace and our personal interactions; particularly in the political and racial arena. Thank you again, Steve and to Captain Joe for creating this for us all.
I remember hearing Steve 1 night and an aircraft wanted taxing instructions. So Steve says "to follow my prom date onto so and so taxiway." The aircraft the plane was ordered to follow was a Virgin America A320. haha
He is totally wonderful! I found him on RU-vid a couple years ago, I think, and all my friends and family have listened to him ... and laughed their tails off. Especially when he trolls the tugs! He is a joy. Happy Retirement, Kennedy Steve!!
Great interview Joe, Kennedy Steve is a true New York ledgend Favorite Steve comment as to be to a Qantas A380 "Qantas 12... after single engine Cessna... Caution propwash"
RU-vid needs a LOVE button.. I, like many an aviation enthusiast, I grew up listening to Kennedy Steve. Truly a timeless interview. Thanks to Captain Joe for thinking of doing this interview and especially to Kennedy Steve for agreeing to sit down and answer some questions. Happy retirement, Kennedy Steve. I certainly miss hearing your voice on the airwaves. Next we need an interview with Boston John!!
Kennedy Steve has a great voice. He could have a great career doing voice acting. He is very missed. Love listening to him work! This is so great that you interviewed him!
Captain Joe. Thanks for this. I actually had the opportunity to get a tour of JFK tower years ago (sometime in the very late 90s and early 00's) as a young Civil Air Patrol cadet. A bunch of us had the opportunity to go there. I'm sure Kennedy Steve was there that day. Most memorable moments were An ATC controller said "watch this, I'm about to send off the Concorde." Once he cleared it for take off we all fell silent as it roared to the sky. The second was a rookie ATC with the look of total stress on her face. At the time she had 6 months or so in and looked like a bag of nerves.
Me too! I was actually shocked that I had his looks right on target. Not sure I’ve ever had that happen before. Anyway, it was a pleasure to see him in this video.
Thank you Kennedy Steve for your performance in your career while injecting humour where appropriate to minimize any stress. This also goes out to all ATC and the support staff at all airports and of courde the pilots and crew! You are all amazing! Thank you from Vancouver Canada! Love flying out of YVR!
Joe, thanks for the special treat, Kennedy Steve is legendary on RU-vid. This is a special interview. Now if you will, one of his special lines a commercial airliner with a turboprop landing in front of him, "Caution propwash" :)
Kennedy Steve, thanks for doing the interview and finally, after years of following you, allowing me to put a face to the name. Dudes like you are what the best in America are about; straightforward, competent, you know your stuff backwards and forwards and you keep your cool at all times. Your sense of humour is legendary. At this point I believe you are retired and I wish you a long and happy one. All the best to you and yours from Canada. I can see YOW approaches and departures clearly from my 10th floor balcony and you cross my mind often.
MegaMech well everyone copying each other. But I don’t think you can compare them. VAS is focusing on special incidents, HSA uses a black background with color letters and make the fun hilarious videos.
@@MegaMech The fan debacle about dissing VAS vs HSA reminds of the same debacle about those dissing Mentour vs CJ. I love these 4 channels, they have different attitudes and different content. If 2 happen to cover the same thing, then the better for me as they provide different angles on the same thing. It's like apples vs oranges. They are both good and healthy.
Kennedy Steve is a legend. Many of hours in a rabbit hole listening to him. Glad to see you were able to spend some time with him. I see a Kennedy Steve movie in the future.
@@poongothaisenthilkumar6026 i think he meaned the slow climb rate because underpowered engines and the same wing geometry like the a330. also it was a pain in the arse to lift the body from the runway on high airports for example in south america. air france and iberia pilots can sing a song about it.
@@poongothaisenthilkumar6026 The A340-300 is massively underpowered. The 757, on the other hand, is amusingly overpowered. The A340-300 uses CFM56s, the same engines that power the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, which have only a quarter of the MTOW of the A343. Even having 4 of them, the thrust/weight ratio is notoriously terrible. Thankfully, they ditched those for the -500 and -600 variants, instead choosing an engine with nearly twice the thrust of what was used on the -300. The A340-300 at MTOW had a thrust/weight ratio of 0.22. The Boeing 757-200 at MTOW has a thrust/weight ratio 50% higher at 0.34.
I'm a Pilot never landed in JFK .. but I listen to hours of Kennedy Steve ATC Audio... He is an excellent ATC Professional - his zeal and enthusiasm is refreshing to hear. Steve is an efficient communicator who can defuse a tense situation easily!
I know it's a year after this interview, but thank you Captain Joe! I listen to a lot of ATC videos and have heard Kennedy Steve many times. He cracks me up! But he gets the job done.
Oh dear - how did I miss this interview? I love Kennedy Steve. Thanks for doing such a great job interviewing him. He truly is one-of-a-kind and I miss him!
