FAA Set to Hire 1,500 Air Traffic Controllers This Year

ATC shortages have contributed to several delays and recent close calls, which have prompted the FAA to lay out guidelines reinforcing safety protocols.

Amelia Walsh

Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 12:17 PM ET

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According to the National Air Traffic Controller Association, staffing levels are at a 30-year low, while two in 10 air traffic controller positions remain unfilled nationwide. [FLYING file photo]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA is facing a severe, 30-year low in air traffic controller staffing, prompting a major hiring initiative with an application window opening May 5-8 to recruit thousands of new controllers over the next two years.
These nationwide staffing shortages are contributing to flight delays, recent close calls, and have led the FAA to request airlines reduce flights, particularly in understaffed regions like New York.
Becoming an air traffic controller requires specific eligibility, multi-year training at the FAA Academy and on-the-job experience, and offers competitive salaries and federal benefits upon certification.

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The 2023 application window for entry-level air traffic controllers will open May 5-8 as the FAA grapples with staffing shortages across the nation.

The agency plans to hire roughly 1,500 controllers this year, and another 1,800 next year as it is catching up on pandemic-related training backlogs—a significant cause of the staffing shortage. According to the National Air Traffic Controller Association (NATCA), staffing levels are at a 30-year low, while two in 10 air traffic controller positions remain unfilled nationwide.