FAA efforts to boost airt traffic control hiring see large applicant pool

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FAA efforts to boost airt traffic control hiring see large applicant pool

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Chris Rocheleau Acting Administrator, FAA | Federal Aviation Administration

By Sky Industry News

Apr 4, 2025

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is progressing with its initiative to expedite the hiring of air traffic controllers across the United States. The Acting Administrator, Chris Rocheleau, reported that approximately 7,500 to over 8,300 of the 10,000 applicants have been referred for testing to continue in the hiring process.

Speaking on CNBC, Rocheleau highlighted the influx of applications for FAA Academy positions in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: "Our focus is to get controllers, the best and the brightest, into the academy and get them out into the facilities as soon as possible. We are going to keep a close eye on that and make sure that every seat is filled for the upcoming classes."

This update follows an earlier FAA statement revealing that more than 8,320 candidates were qualified and referred to the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) after the application window closed on March 17. According to Rocheleau, over 190 candidates had already passed the ATSA and entered the hiring process, expressing enthusiasm about this "hiring supercharge."

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The surge in hiring follows a plan announced by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on February 27 to significantly increase the hiring of air traffic controllers. He described the role as "one of the best, most rewarding jobs in America," emphasizing the skills of the candidates at the FAA Academy. The FAA's hiring window was open from February 27 to March 17, with the intention to streamline the application process and reduce training costs.

The FAA aims to align with the priorities set by President Donald Trump to enhance aviation safety by implementing various measures. These include recruiting candidates through a merit-based process, providing a 30% increase in starting salaries for academy attendees, and reducing the hiring steps from eight to five.

Coinciding with a Senate hearing regarding a mid-air collision, Rocheleau emphasized ATC staffing as a critical issue. "Right now, we have more than 10,750 air traffic controllers on the job with more than 3,000 in training. We intend to hire another 2,000 controller trainees this year."

The FAA believes the streamlined hiring process will accelerate the time-to-hire by five months or more, quickly integrating new air traffic controllers into operational roles. This recent hiring window received over 10,000 applications, with over 8,300 applicants referred to the ATSA.