CNN
Gregory Wallace
14 May 2024
Despite a surge in hiring last year, air traffic control stations nationwide are still about 3,000 controllers short, according to new Federal Aviation Administration numbers.
The FAA has about 11,500 controllers who are either fully certified or have reached the stage in training where they can work independently, known as Certified Professional Controller In Training. The staffing plans developed by the FAA and the union representing air traffic controllers calls for more than 14,600 controllers to fully staff towers and centers.
The numbers are for the fiscal year, which was through the end of September. Employees in the developmental stage or at the FAA’s training academy are not included in either count.
Last year, the FAA hired 1,512 new controller candidates — just above its goal of 1,500, the numbers indicate. The FAA told CNN it “has taken several actions” to address the shortage and improve safety.
But at the same time, its air traffic control organization lost more than 1,300 employees, including controllers who retired or candidates who dropped out of training. About 400 failed out of the FAA’s academy (which averages a pass rate of between 60% and 70%) and another 109 who were further along in the training pipeline also dropped out...
[Read more: FAA still short about 3,000 air traffic controllers, new federal numbers show | CNN Business]
