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

Verified

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 latest recruitment drive, which targets gamers, has seen immediate success, attracting 6,000 applications shortly after opening the portal to address a chronic shortage of over 3,500 air traffic controllers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attributes this early success to gamers' transferable skills in cognitive functioning, multitasking, and on-the-fly problem-solving, which are crucial for air traffic control.
Despite this initial influx, the FAA faces a significant challenge in fully staffing its towers, with goals to recruit 8,900 new controllers by FY2028, tempered by an expected 6,800 losses and a 30 percent attrition rate at the training academy.
While the National Air Traffic Controllers Association supports innovative approaches to expand the candidate pool, it emphasizes maintaining the rigorous standards required for this safety-critical profession.

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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.