Originally Posted by
Lord Farringdon
I'm not sure that going Full Metal Jacket on him, with something like "what is your major malfunction numbnuts?" would have been the best course of action. That approach proved costly for Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the movie! The point is that this guy was effectively holding a weapon to the controller's head. He needed to be calmed down in order to get him to be compliant, not agitated with authoritarian commands. I think the softly softly approach in these circumstances is almost instinctive, and I think the outcome was the best that could be expected. It certainly could have been a helluva lot worse. But yes, the controller did an excellent job.
Who knows what would have worked in this type of situation. Hindsight is truly golden. The guys thinking could have turned on a dime and next thing we've got half of downtown looking like a bad B movie.
I can't imagine being that ATC guy trying to think of the right words to say to someone who's mind has flipped and who at any second could have pulled the pin through a misplaced turn of the yoke with fuel running out. But it does seem to be the common approach to use gentle nurturing vocabulary in these situations.