FAA Moves to Improve Controller Training, Safety Reporting

The FAA says it is taking immediate action to improve air traffic controller training and safety reporting in response to a recently released National Airspace System Safety Review Team report.

Kate O'Connor

Tuesday, November 21, 2023 at 09:21 PM ET

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The FAA is making changes aimed at streamlining and improving air traffic controller hiring and training. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA is implementing immediate changes to air traffic controller (ATC) training and safety reporting based on an independent review prompted by recent airport close calls.
The review identified significant challenges in staffing, process integrity, and equipment, primarily attributing these issues to inadequate and inconsistent agency funding.
Key actions include streamlining AT-CTI graduate placement, launching a year-round hiring track for experienced controllers, increasing training capacity, and deploying new tower simulator systems across facilities.

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The FAA says it is taking immediate action to improve air traffic controller (ATC) training and safety reporting in response to a recently released National Airspace System Safety Review Team report.

The assessment was commissioned by the agency following its March Safety Summit, which focused on a recent string of close calls at airports across the country. Conducted by an independent safety review team, the report covered the FAA’s internal safety processes, staffing levels and practices, facility and equipment needs, and funding.