News Update

FAA: D.C. Airport at 89 Percent of ATC Staffing Target

Agency says airport that was site of fatal midair collision has 25 certified controllers and three controllers in training.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, February 04, 2025 at 12:51 PM ET

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Edited By: tccjeremy

An FAA air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. [Courtesy: Mark Stebnicki/Pexels]

Key Takeaways:

Aviation groups and the FAA have pushed back against claims that "unqualified" air traffic controllers, linked to DEI policies, were responsible for a recent fatal midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA).
The FAA emphasizes its rigorous, multi-stage training and certification process for controllers, which includes strict medical, physical, and mental requirements, a demanding academy, and several years of facility-specific training, resulting in less than 10% of applicants being accepted.
Despite these high standards, a nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers persists, with KDCA operating at 89% of its target staffing and reports indicating understaffing on the night of the accident, which the NATCA president notes is not uncommon.

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The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) and other aviation groups have pushed back against President Donald Trump’s suggestion that unqualified controllers were somehow responsible for the fatal midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) last week.

Due to an ongoing investigation, the FAA has not been able to share information about control tower staffing on the eve of the crash or the specific controller handling the aircraft. But the agency on Monday shed some light on the rigorous training and certification all controllers must complete before taking over airspace.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.