The recent 43-day federal government shutdown underscored a critical vulnerability in the U.S. aviation system: the shortage of air traffic controllers needed to maintain safe and on-time flight operations. During the shutdown, controllers were required to work without pay, intensifying the challenges of recruiting and retaining personnel in the field.
“It’s a good job with good benefits, but partisan fighting over appropriations is not an ideal situation to try to bring in new air traffic controllers and convince them that this is a good career field,” said Tim Kiefer, a retired air traffic controller and professor of air traffic management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. “It’s not a positive to try to bring people into this industry by saying, ‘You never know if you’re not going to get paid.'”
The shutdown also contributed to a rise in retirements among controllers, according to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. Kiefer noted that such events may discourage younger workers from pursuing careers in air traffic management. “If you are a brand new person looking to enter a career, you may be thinking twice if you have to worry whether you’re going to be paid or not. That may be a deterrent, and they might find another job because of that,” he added.
As of 2024, the United States employed roughly 11,700 certified air traffic controllers and trainees, falling short by about 4,000 of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) staffing targets. The agency anticipates hiring at least 8,900 new controllers by 2028, even as nearly 7,000 are expected to leave the workforce over the same period. The FAA did not immediately comment on whether it expects to meet these recruiting goals or on the shutdown’s impact.
Recruitment and Qualifications
On the FAA’s website, Secretary Duffy describes air traffic control as “one of the best, most rewarding jobs in America,” emphasizing “the urgent need to do all that we can to recruit more people to join in our shared mission of safety in our skies.”
Prospective controllers face a rigorous and competitive process. The FAA’s Air Traffic Controller Academy in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, requires candidates to:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be under 31 years of age
- Pass pre-employment assessments, including the Air Traffic Controller Specialists Skills Assessment Battery (ATSA)
- Demonstrate clear English communication skills
- Possess either one year of progressively responsible work experience, a Bachelor’s degree, or a combination of post-secondary education and work experience
Candidates must also pass an aptitude exam that evaluates their suitability for the role. Stephen Abraham, a retired air traffic controller formerly at John F. Kennedy International Airport, noted, “It’s an assessment that determines if you have the right mental makeup to be an air traffic controller… If you succeed, they send you to Oklahoma City for eight to 12 weeks, where your training is more tailored toward success.”
Successful candidates undergo extensive medical and background checks, including disqualifications for certain contact lenses or abnormal blood pressure. According to the FAA, fewer than 10% of applicants meet all requirements and enter the academy.
Training and Career Progression
At the academy, trainees learn airspace management using tabletop airport models and flight simulators. Training also covers communication protocols with pilots and fellow controllers and the calculation of optimal flight paths considering weather and traffic.
Afterward, new controllers are assigned to smaller airports for two to four years under supervision. Some may also enter the profession via FAA-certified college programs, which provide classroom instruction followed by on-the-job training.
In 2024, the median annual wage for controllers was $144,580, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, entry-level positions at smaller facilities may earn closer to $60,000 annually. Abraham explained that pay typically increases with experience, promotion, and assignments at busier airports.
Robert Poole, director of transportation policy at the Reason Foundation, remarked, “A lot of people get to that point, and when they are at their first facility, trying to learn to control real traffic, some just don’t make it. It’s more stressful than being a pilot, who flies a route from point A to B mostly on autopilot.”
The shutdown’s effects, coupled with the demanding qualifications and intense training, have compounded the U.S. air traffic controller shortage, creating ongoing challenges for aviation safety and operational reliability.
