‘Get off the iPad’: Air traffic controller scolds pilot; flight flew close to Air Force One

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A Spirit Airlines pilot was told to “get off the iPad” by air traffic control after failing to promptly follow directions to turn as Air Force One flew in the same airspace over Long Island, New York, on Tuesday.Air Force One was carrying President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to the United Kingdom, while Spirit Flight 1300, an Airbus A321, was en route from Fort Lauderdale to Boston Logan International Airport.“Spirit 1300, turn 20 degrees right,” the New York Center air traffic controller told the pilot, CNN reported citing audio captured by LiveATC.netThe controller radioed again, after five seconds, following no response by the Spirit pilot, and repeated his instructions. It took another two attempts for the pilot to acknowledge the call.The controller repeated the instructions and asked the pilot to follow them “immediately.”Later, after the Spirit pilot did not respond to another radio instruction, the controller radioed again.“I got to talk to you twice every time. Pay attention, get off of the iPad,” he said.It remains unclear why the pilot delayed in responding. However, aviation experts note that pilots are trained to prioritise flying the aircraft over radio communication. In a statement, Spirit Airlines defended its crew, saying: “Our pilots followed procedures and Air Traffic Control instructions while en route to Boston… Safety is always our top priority.”