Budget Proposal Allots Funding for ATC Hiring, FAA Technology Upgrades

Trump administration aims to ramp up controller hiring while modernizing the facilities and systems they use.

Jack Daleo

Monday, May 05, 2025 at 04:46 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Air traffic control tower at night [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

President Trump's proposed budget significantly boosts FAA funding to address critical air traffic controller (ATC) shortages and modernize its "very obsolete" infrastructure, allocating $13.8 billion for operations and $824 million for facility and radar upgrades.
The U.S. air traffic control system faces a shortage of over 3,000 controllers and relies on severely outdated technology, including floppy disks and copper wires, posing risks to air safety.
The FAA is actively combating these issues through "supercharged" hiring efforts, increased trainee salaries, and cash bonuses, while also planning multi-billion dollar investments in system upgrades for telecommunications, radar, and control facilities.

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Many federal agencies would see their funding cut under President Donald Trump’s recently released discretionary or “skinny” budget request—but not the FAA.

The White House’s proposed fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget would boost FAA funding aimed at addressing critical air traffic controller (ATC) shortages and modernizing aging infrastructure, which Trump himself has described as “very obsolete.” It would set aside $13.8 billion for FAA operations—a $359 million increase over FY 2025—with an additional $824 million for long-overdue facility and radar upgrades.