News Update

FAA: D.C. Airport at 89 Percent of ATC Staffing Target

Agency says airport that was site of fatal midair collision has 25 certified controllers and three controllers in training.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, February 04, 2025 at 12:51 PM ET

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Edited By: tccjeremy

An FAA air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. [Courtesy: Mark Stebnicki/Pexels]

Key Takeaways:

Aviation groups, including NATCA, strongly refute Donald Trump's assertion that unqualified controllers or DEI policies caused a recent fatal midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA).
The FAA underscores the extremely rigorous and multi-year training and certification process required for air traffic controllers, noting less than 10% of applicants are accepted into its academy.
An ongoing nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers means facilities like KDCA operate below target staffing, sometimes leading to individual controllers managing increased workloads, as was reportedly the case on the night of the collision.

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The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) and other aviation groups have pushed back against President Donald Trump’s suggestion that unqualified controllers were somehow responsible for the fatal midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) last week.

Due to an ongoing investigation, the FAA has not been able to share information about control tower staffing on the eve of the crash or the specific controller handling the aircraft. But the agency on Monday shed some light on the rigorous training and certification all controllers must complete before taking over airspace.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.