FAA proposes to hire 2,300 air traffic controllers in budget request

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Source: msn/Reuters

11h


WASHINGTON, April 6 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it is proposing to hire 2,300 air traffic controller trainees as it works to address a persistent lack of personnel. The FAA is about 3,500 fully certified air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels.

At the end of September it employed 13,164 controllers -- or 6% fewer controllers than it did a decade earlier. Many controllers are working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks and the FAA's air traffic control training academy faces serious issues with retaining students. The FAA is seeking $95.4 million to bring 2,300 controller trainees on board, up from 2,038 in 2025.

The FAA is also seeking $39 million to increase aviation safety oversight and strengthen commercial space transportation oversight, compliance and enforcement. Congress approved $12.5 billion last year for a rehabilitation of the aging U.S. air traffic control system and to boost hiring. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said last week he wants another $7 billion to $10 billion for new software and other tech upgrades.

In February, the USDOT Office of Inspector General said it was investigating the high failure rates among air traffic control trainees. The FAA said in December it lost around 400 to 500 trainees during the government shutdown last fall. Congress earlier this year approved funding to hire 2,500 additional controllers in 2026.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/faa-proposes-to-hire-2300-air-traffic-controllers-in-budget-request/ar-AA20hFqb