1 of 1
Story summary
- The FAA hired 2,235 air traffic controller trainees in fiscal year 2026, a record.
- By Sept. 30, the FAA had 11,027 certified controllers, the most in a decade.
- The agency remains 1,536 controllers short of its 12,563 target for fiscal year 2027.
- Nearly 400 retirement-eligible controllers were retained through a new bonus structure.
- Process changes cut more than five months from new recruit onboarding.