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Passengers who embark on a commercial flight expect the people in the cockpit to take their job seriously when you consider they’re literally putting their lives in their hands. However, that was not the case with a couple of pilots who have found themselves at the center of an FAA investigation for meowing and barking over the radio.
There tends to be a certain mental image that springs to mind when it comes to talking about someone who flies planes for a living, as I think most people would conjure the thought of a calm, composed, and clean-cut aviator who has mastered the art of the trademark “pilot voice” that’s designed to convey an air of confidence capable of lulling passengers into a sense of security.
It’s nice to think every pilot conforms to that stereotype, but that’s obviously not the case.
You obviously need to know what you’re doing to obtain the license that allows you to fly planes filled with passengers. With that said, it’s a notoriously high-pressure line of work filled with the stress and sleeplessness that contribute to disproportionate rates of substance abuse and mental issues among pilots who are essentially forced to keep under wraps if they want to keep their job.
It’s subsequently hard to blame them for trying to inject some levity into their day, but a couple of guys who decided to go that route have attracted the ire of the FAA as a result.
The FAA is not happy with pilots who were caught meowing and barking on the radio in Washington, D.C.
Radio communication is a vital aspect of aviation, and the FAA has plenty of rules in place governing the use of those airwaves.
That’s especially true when it comes to frequencies reserved for air traffic control, like the one that the folks in the tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (the destination of the plane that collided with a military helicopter in 2025 in an incident where 67 people perished) rely on to keep things running smoothly.
As a result, one of the people calling the shots there over the weekend was less than thrilled with a couple of pilots who were captured meowing and barking, which led to them being rebuked for failing to be “professional pilots” before someone else chimed in with a sick burn about their relegation to flying regional jets.
“Meow, meow!” Pilots heard making cat sounds over an air traffic control frequency on Sunday were quickly scolded, with someone else on the frequency telling them, “You guys need to be professional pilots.” pic.twitter.com/ynRH8HnYg0
— ABC News (@ABC) April 15, 2026
According to The New York Times, the exchange (which unfolded on Sunday) managed to catch the attention of the FAA. The agency noted “Conversations must be related to the safe operation of the aircraft” and said pilots are barred from “engaging in non-essential conversations when they’re below 10,000 feet altitude” before pointing to its policy to investigate “all situations where pilots may have violated any regulation.”
Woof.