FAA Exceeds Controller Hiring Target

With its target for this year met, the agency explores strategies to continue hiring ATCs.

Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 09:07 AM 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 exceeded its fiscal year 2024 hiring goal for air traffic controllers (ATCs), recruiting 1,811 new hires, 11 more than its target of 1,800.
This marks the highest number of new ATC hires in nearly a decade, representing significant progress in stemming a long-term decline in staffing numbers.
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker praised the achievement and emphasized the agency's ongoing commitment to rebuilding and sustaining the controller workforce.

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Earlier this week, the FAA announced it has exceeded its hiring goal for air traffic controllers (ATCs) for fiscal year 2024 (ending September 30).

A total of 1,811 new hires have signed on, 11 more than the target figure of 1,800. The agency said in a statement that the figure was the highest in nearly 10 years and represents “important progress” toward stemming a decades-long decline in ATC staffing numbers.