Duffy: ATC Hiring Push Attracts 6,000 Applicants

Program ‘has been wildly successful’ in recruiting air traffic control trainees, transportation secretary says.

Jack Daleo

Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Zach Vasile

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says 6,000 people have applied to become air traffic controllers since a new application went live on Friday. [Credit: U.S. Department of Transportation]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA's new air traffic control (ATC) hiring initiative, specifically targeting gamers, has seen early success with 6,000 applications received in less than a day, aimed at addressing a chronic shortage of over 3,500 controllers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy believes gamers possess valuable skills like multitasking and problem-solving that align with ATC demands, contributing to the recruitment drive's "wildly successful" initial phase.
Despite the rapid influx of applicants and other measures like hiring process streamlining and cash bonuses, the FAA faces significant challenges including a 30 percent attrition rate at its academy and the highly stressful nature of the job, making long-term staffing goals difficult to achieve.

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U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Friday that the FAA’s latest air traffic control (ATC) hiring push—targeting gamers—is paying early dividends in addressing a chronic shortage of more than 3,500 controllers.

Speaking at the Semafor World Economy Summit in Washington, D.C., Duffy said 6,000 people have applied to become ATCs since the FAA opened a new hiring portal at midnight on Friday. The portal will close on April 27, or earlier if the number of applicants hits 8,000.