Chilling audio has emerged of the moment air traffic controllers were forced to scream urgent instructions at a Spirit Airlines pilot after the aircraft came dangerously close to Air Force One.
The incident happened as Spirit Airlines Flight 1300 was travelling from Florida to Massachusetts earlier this week. At the same time, US President Donald Trump and the First Lady were aboard Air Force One, heading to the UK for a state visit.
Controllers monitoring the skies over New York picked up the Spirit Airbus A321 flying parallel to Air Force One at a distance of just eight miles. While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) later stressed this did not breach safety regulations, the proximity was close enough to raise alarm.
In audio recordings released from the LiveATC service, urgency can clearly be heard in the controllers’ voices as they bark repeated commands.
One shouted: “Spirit 1300 turn 20 degrees right. Pay attention, Spirit 1300 turn 20 degrees right. Spirit 1300 turn 20 degrees right, now. Spirit wings 1300 turn 20 degrees right, immediately.”
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Another added a stark warning: “Pay attention. Spirit 1300 traffic off your left wing by six miles— uh, eight miles, 747. I’m sure you can see who it is…
“Keep an eye out for him — he’s white and blue.”
The controller then went further, issuing the cutting line that has since caught the ears of listeners, especially: “Pay attention. Get off the iPad.”
While it sounds like something out of a film, the exchange was very real. The Spirit pilots can be heard faintly acknowledging the orders, though static makes it difficult to make out their full responses.
Thankfully, the situation didn’t spiral further. Spirit later confirmed the plane landed in Boston as planned without incident.
A spokesperson for the airline said: “Spirit Airlines Flight 1300 followed procedures and Air Traffic Control instructions and landed uneventfully at BOS. Safety is always our top priority.”
The FAA also confirmed its preliminary investigation showed the aircraft maintained the required separation, despite the tense atmosphere on the radio frequency.
Still, the recording has sparked widespread discussion online about cockpit distractions, especially given the unusual rebuke to 'get off the iPad'. Whether or not that was literal, the remark painted a striking picture of just how frustrated controllers seemed as they worked to keep the skies safe around the president’s aircraft.
President Donald Trump and Melania Trump later arrived in the UK on schedule, receiving the usual high-profile welcome. But for those who’ve listened to the ATC clip above, the thought of a budget airline coming so close to the most famous plane in the world is enough to make anyone’s palms sweat.
Topics: Donald Trump, Plane
Ben Williams