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FAA Says It Hired 2,000 Controllers, Still Short

8/15/2026

46 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said the FAA hired over 2,000 controllers, meeting 94% of its goal.
More than 2,000 candidates remain in the pipeline for training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City.
The FAA seeks $95.4 million to hire 2,300 controllers next year, still 3,500 short of its target.
Only about 2% of applicants become certified after 2-5 years, with a median wage of $144,580 in 2024.

History

Historical Context

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, the FAA’s post-attack security overhaul and a hiring pause created a shortfall of roughly 3,000 air-traffic controllers by 2005. Subsequent congressional funding and Department of Transportation training efforts have struggled to close the gap, leading the agency today to seek additional funding to hire thousands more controllers.

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Story summary

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said the FAA hired over 2,000 controllers, meeting 94% of its goal.
More than 2,000 candidates remain in the pipeline for training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City.
The FAA seeks $95.4 million to hire 2,300 controllers next year, still 3,500 short of its target.
Only about 2% of applicants become certified after 2-5 years, with a median wage of $144,580 in 2024.

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