FAA scrambles to hire 8,900 air traffic controllers by 2028 as shortage reaches crisis levels

A nationwide air traffic controller shortage has put new attention on a growing training option the FAA now approves for certain colleges The latest federal governing body shutdown highlighted how thin staffing has become especially as delays and reroutes stacked up across the country The FAA says it wants to hire at least new controllers by According to FAA workforce input analyzed by USAFacts about controller positions were vacant nationwide as of late though not every facility is equally understaffed That shortage is driving interest in a newer FAA-approved college pathway designed to streamline controller training at a small group of universities including Middle Georgia State The Enhanced AT-CTI initiative allows students to train to the same standard as the FAA Academy and if hired and meeting FAA requirements such as passing the Air Traffic Skills Assessment ATSA physiological and guard clearances they can go directly to a facility instead of completing the full academy in Oklahoma City which can involve long waitlists and multi-month courses KRISTI NOEM UNVEILS B TSA MODERNIZATION PLAN AWARDS K BONUSES TO WORKERS WHO SERVED DURING SHUTDOWNMiddle Georgia State University is one of the meager schools offering the Enhanced AT-CTI pathway which gives students another direction into air traffic control careers as the FAA works to rebuild its workforce Graduates still undergo facility-specific training and must be certified on-the-job before becoming full controllers Only about nine schools nationwide have been approved to offer the new Enhanced AT-CTI venture as of according to Kemarie Jeffers the department chair of aviation science and management at Middle Georgia State Inside Middle Georgia State s tower simulator air traffic control aspirant Brooke Graffagnino says the job s intensity is what drew her in It kind of gets your chest beating because with how much traffic there is sometimes it is intense she announced HOUSE DEMOCRAT SIDES WITH TRUMP LEADERS ON AIR TRAFFIC CUTS AMID SHUTDOWN CHAOSShe says students speedily find out whether they re suited for the job You can kind of tell who does not love it There have been quite a sparse and they are no longer here It takes a lot to get through it she mentioned Graffagnino says the importance of the work became clearer as she learned how controllers keep busy airspace organized Once you get in the airspace that is super crowded or approaching the larger airports like Atlanta you need someone to help coordinate and keep everything separate and safe she announced Middle Georgia State was approved as an Enhanced AT-CTI school in mid- Jeffers says the impact was immediate Before our operation had maybe about to students Right now we have So we have already in that short amount of time almost tripled in size the amount of students that we have he reported To earn the enhanced designation Jeffers announced the school had to update its curriculum overhaul parts of its simulator setup and install new audio and video systems We ve upgraded a lot of our equipment we had to install audio and video equipment upstairs in our tower sim he noted Those upgrades allow the FAA to remotely review or spot-check training sessions and ensure they meet federal standards FAA TO LIFT URGENCY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS MONDAY MORNING AS AIR TRAFFIC STAFFING REBOUNDSThe plan s biggest distinction is what happens after graduation Enhanced CTI eliminates your requirement of going to the academy You will graduate here and you can go straight to work Jeffers mentioned So it saves you time and effort again it gets you to work sooner and making money quicker The FAA requires enhanced programs to employ instructors with controller experience and maintain simulator equipment comparable to FAA standards As students advance the simulations become more complex requiring trainees to manage more aircraft at once As we get more content and confident we are able to allow more aircraft into the airspace at a time Graffagnino mentioned Before finishing the initiative every learner must pass a final simulation that mirrors the FAA Academy s evaluation process Our instructors will then run a scenario and they will be graded the exact same way in which they will be graded at the academy Jeffers disclosed According to the FAA s FY Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan the agency anticipates about hires in FY in FY and incremental increases through though retirements are expected to offset much of that advance