FAA Reinstates Flight Deck Training for ATCs

Air traffic controllers will be able to apply for jumpseat access to gain firsthand experience on flight deck operations.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Reinstatement of the Flight Deck Training program will give controllers jumpseat access to flights and a firsthand view of how their instructions impact flight crews. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA has reinstated its Flight Deck Training (FDT) program, allowing air traffic controllers to ride in flight decks, after it was paused in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program's primary goal is to enhance controllers' understanding of pilot workload, flight deck procedures, and how ATC instructions impact flight crews, thereby improving communication and collaboration.
Controllers will voluntarily apply for jumpseat access on commercial, general aviation, and military aircraft, undergoing security vetting, with participation from all major U.S. airlines.
Both the FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) support the program, emphasizing the value of firsthand experience in strengthening controllers' understanding of the National Airspace System.

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Air traffic controllers will soon be able to apply for jumpseat access to commercial, general aviation, and military aircraft in order to improve their understanding of the interplay between ATC instructions and the flight deck.

The FAA on Wednesday announced the reinstatement of its Flight Deck Training (FDT) program, which it said was paused at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.