USDOT secretary reveals plan to increase hiring of air traffic controllers

United States Department of Transportation announced a proposal Thursday to increase recruitment efforts and speed up the hiring process in an effort to solve the persistent lack of air traffic controllers.

The program aims to solve long-standing staffing problems that have caused the country's aviation infrastructure to become more and more stressed.

In a statement released on Thursday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized that air traffic controllers need to be highly skilled and precise, and that it is crucial to fill these roles in order to maintain the effectiveness and safety of American airspace.

"This staffing shortage has been a known challenge for over a decade, and this administration is committed to solving it. The new streamlined hiring process is just the first step to deliver on President Trump’s agenda to prioritize the American people’s safety and modernize the federal government," Duffy said.

Streamlined hiring process and salary increases

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will remove the eight-step employment process in favor of a more efficient five-step process under the new proposal.

Hiring new controllers should take less than four months, according to this modification. Additionally, the FAA plans to raise starting salaries for new hires by 30%, offering a strong financial incentive for those entering the profession.

The push to accelerate hiring comes at a critical moment, following a series of deadly aviation accidents in the past two months.

The most recent incidents include a midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in January, a medical plane crash in Philadelphia, and a missing aircraft in Alaska that was later found on sea ice.

These tragedies have heightened concerns about the FAA’s ability to manage air traffic effectively with a depleted workforce.

FAA Academy

As part of the effort to attract new talent, Duffy also announced in the statement that the FAA would prioritize candidates who score the highest on the air traffic skills assessment test, offering them priority admission to the FAA Academy.

The Academy, located in Oklahoma City, is where new recruits undergo intensive training to become certified controllers. Once trained, controllers are assigned to work at air traffic facilities across the country, where they can expect to earn an average of $160,000 annually after a few years in the field.

Duffy emphasized in a FOX interview that the streamlined hiring process was just one part of the administration’s commitment to addressing the air traffic control crisis. He also noted the FAA's training academy also slowed during C.O.V.I.D.-.1.9, with small class sizes delaying the process.

Support from the aviation industry and Congress

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) expressed strong support for DOT's announcement to address the air traffic controller shortage. In a statement, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said:

"The United States is the world leader in aviation safety, and we thank Secretary Duffy for this focused plan to ensure we have the air traffic controllers needed to bolster the controller workforce, and enhance the safety and efficiency of the nation’s airspace."

In response to the shortage, Congress has also been active, with a bipartisan group of senators introducing legislation to allocate $100 million over the next five years to improve air traffic control training facilities and recruit new controllers.

Reuters reported that the bill aims to expedite the certification process through the use of tower simulators, cutting down training time by up to 27%.

'Return to the job'

To further address these concerns, Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, took to social media to encourage retired air traffic controllers to return to the job.

"There is a shortage of top notch air traffic controllers. If you have retired, but are open to returning to work, please consider doing so," Musk wrote in a post on X.

Fox News Digital previously reported that the FAA imposes a mandatory retirement age of 55 for air traffic controllers, contributing to a high turnover rate.

US President Donald Trump's administration started terminating hundreds of FAA employees in early February, including those hired to maintain landing and navigational aids and the FAA radar.