Latest news with #AirTrafficControllerWorkforcePlan
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FAA updates hiring process to fill nationwide air controller shortage, including in Virginia
The Washington National terminal and air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. (Photo by Patrick Donovan/Getty Photos) The Federal Aviation Administration recently announced it had received twice as many applications needed to fill the shortage of air traffic controller vacancies across the country. In Virginia, there's a shortage of 133 certified professional controllers from nine FAA air traffic control facilities that serve the commonwealth, according to data from the 11-year FAA Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan. Washington ARTCC – 55 Washington Natl. Tower – 11 Manassas Tower – 1 Dulles Tower – 4 Norfolk Tower – 15 Potomac TRACON – 33 Patrick Henry Tower – 5 Richmond Tower – 2 Roanoke Tower – 7 The FAA, along with other federal agencies, faced big cuts and employees were sent buyout offers at the start of the year by President Donald Trump's administration, which is set on cutting 'wasteful' spending. Some of the FAA positions cut focused on inspection and airport operations. U.S. Mark Warner, D-Va., said in January the buyouts offered could have negatively impacted the number of certified air traffic controllers. 'What happens if a few thousand air traffic controllers take that?' Warner said to DC News Now. 'We won't have air traffic potentially. It takes 18 months to get an air traffic controller trained up.' However, Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau expressed a positive sign last week when he said the agency has made progress in addressing the nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers. He stated that approximately 7,500 applicants are now being referred for testing to help fill the shortage of about 3,000 controllers. 'I'm thrilled to see that early results of (the) air traffic controller hiring supercharge were so promising. By prioritizing a merit-based process, cutting red tape, and increasing starting salaries, we are bringing in the best and brightest across America to help keep our skies secure at record speeds,' Rocheleau said in a statement. The results come after Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy's Feb. 27 hiring announcement for candidates. The shortage of air traffic controllers responsible for ensuring the safety and efficiency of the national airspace system has been a long-simmering problem. Several factors contribute to the dearth of workers, including the FAA's specific and lengthy training and certification process, antiquated control tower equipment, long hours on the job and the inability to hire career switchers past the age of 31. Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, representing nearly 20,000 professionals, spoke to federal lawmakers about the persistent controller staffing challenges earlier this month at a U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee hearing. 'A properly-staffed controller workforce is necessary in order to safely and efficiently meet all of its operational, statutory, and contractual requirements, while also having the personnel resources to research, develop, deploy, and then train the existing workforce on new procedures, technology, and modernization initiatives,' said Daniels on March 4 to lawmakers. He added that without a sustainable hiring, training, and staffing model, which is outlined in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, 'the FAA will struggle to maintain the current capacity of the system, let alone modernize or expand it for new users.' Attention on air traffic controllers increased after an FAA investigation into the Jan. 29 mid-air collision of a commercial jet and Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that killed 67 people. The agency's probe found that only one controller was on duty, which 'was not normal,' with one person doing the work normally assigned to two people at the time of the collision, the Associated Press reported. One of the ways the department is incentivizing interest in the open positions is by increasing starting salaries by 30% for candidates who go to the FAA Academy. The average certified professional controller makes over $160,000 per year. Duffy said that the department would prioritize candidates who received the highest Air Traffic Skills Assessment Test scores for the FAA Academy and accelerate the time-to-hire for critical positions by cutting more than four months off the old process. The FAA said once trainees successfully pass through the academy, they'll be assigned to a tower or other facility across the country, where they'll work toward their certification with experienced air traffic controllers. 'This staffing shortage has been a known challenge for over a decade, and this administration is committed to solving it,' Duffy said on Feb. 27. 'The new streamlined hiring process is just the first step to deliver on President Trump's agenda to prioritize the American people's safety and modernize the federal government.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
CBS News
27-02-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Elon Musk to retired air traffic controllers: Please come back to work
Elon Musk, who has been tasked with leading the Department of Government Efficiency, is pleading for retired air traffic controllers to consider returning to work amid an ongoing, nationwide shortage of qualified air safety workers. The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX issued his appeal on X Tuesday, citing "a shortage of top notch air traffic controllers," adding that "If you have retired, but are open to returning to work, please consider doing so." The FAA has faced a longstanding shortage of air traffic controllers, while the agency's oversight of the skies has recently faced heightened scrutiny following a string of recent aviation incidents. Currently, more than 90% of U.S. airport towers are understaffed, and do not meet standards set by a working group that includes the FAA and the controllers' union, according to a CBS News analysis of FAA data. There are approximately 10,800 air traffic controllers working across U.S. airports, which the NATCA says is about 3,600 fewer than "what is needed to fully staff the National Airspace System." While several hundred probationary workers at the FAA were recently fired by the Trump administration through late night emails sent on Feb. 14, "Zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel" were among those let go according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in a Feb. 17 post on X. Duffy has said he wants to extend a waiver to the current controllers who are near retirement age to help expand the workfroce. Earlier this month, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), the union representing air traffic controllers, told CBS the proposal is not "an effective solution to addressing the chronic air traffic controller staffing crisis. "In the next 12 months, we anticipate 49 ATCs across 35 facilities will reach age 56. This is not enough to address the nationwide staffing shortage," the union added. "The solution to the ATC staffing crisis is a long-term commitment to hiring and training and the retention of the experience of all the highly skilled, highly trained air traffic controllers," it added. Shortage goes back to pandemic In its Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan, the FAA blames its struggle to staff air traffic control facilities in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. "The COVID-19 pandemic has had substantial impact on the aviation industry and the FAA," the agency said in its report. "At the onset of the pandemic, in order to protect employees and help ensure continuity of operations, certain activities were eliminated or significantly reduced at FAA's air traffic control (ATC) facilities. There are currently a number of open air traffic control jobs on the FAA's website, including for air traffic control and traffic management specialists and at various stages of their careers. Robust training is required to become an air traffic controller, including the completion of training courses at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. According to the FAA, air traffic control specialists earn a median annual wage of $127,805, plus benefits.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Austin's air control staffing woes under scrutiny after D.C. crash
The eyes of government officials and travelers alike have turned to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport following a deadly crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. This incident has heightened concerns about air traffic control staffing nationwide As recently as 2023, Austin was the site of a near collision between two planes and is also one of the most understaffed air traffic control locations in the country. Now, as a growing trend of near misses at airports coincides with a new administration's plan to slim government services, many are concerned with the safety of airports nationwide. Congressman Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, has long been concerned with the staffing situation at Austin airport and recent events have only heightened this feeling. More: Austin congressman blasts FAA for flight delays, safety issues at ABIA In a statement following the Jan. 29 mid-air collision over D.C., Doggett grieved those lost in the plane crash in DC and outlined similar issues Austin is facing. 'Last week's tragic plane crash hit close to home in Austin; our airport has had 5 near catastrophic collisions. Our air traffic controllers are operating with about half the staffing recommended by the Federal Aviation Administration,' said Doggett. The most recent example of a near miss at Austin's airport came in February 2023, when a FedEx cargo plane almost collided with a Southwest Airlines flight carrying over 100 passengers. According to the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation, the planes came within 150 feet of each other because a controller gave the go-ahead for the Southwest flight to depart from runway 18L while also instructing the FedEx plane to continue its landing on the same runway at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Gaffes like this have become more common amid air traffic control tower shortages and have been seen in Boston, San Diego, and New York. Doggett also pointed out that Austin is consistently highlighted as an airport with a dire air traffic control shortage and criticized the current administration. 'ABIA remains in the top five airports nationally with the greatest air traffic controller shortage. Instead of responding to this nationwide problem, Donald Trump imposed a hiring freeze and also urged them to take a buyout for early retirement like other federal employees,' said Doggett. At the end of last year, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesperson, Crystal Essiaw, said the airport had 33 certified controllers with six more in training, and that they expected additional trainees to start over the next few months. Doggett disputed this claim, stating there are just 29 certified controllers and that two trainees had been medically disqualified. The FAA had previously set a goal to employ a total of 60 air traffic controllers in the Austin tower by 2024, according to last year's Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan. In a statement, ABIA acknowledged Doggett's continued concerns and its staffing shortages, and said it is working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to find a solution. 'We are grateful for Congressman Doggett's continued leadership and advocacy in addressing FAA air traffic controller staffing at AUS. A fully staffed tower is essential to ensuring the highest standards of safety. We continue to collaborate closely with the FAA to implement a staffing plan that meets the growing needs of AUS.' The horrific crash that took place in D.C. last week was the first incident of that scale in 16 years and the deadliest crash in the U.S. since 9/11. While crashes of this magnitude are rare, recent years have shown a growing trend of near misses at airports across the country. In addition to the near miss at ABIA, in January of 2023, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines planes nearly collided at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. In February of 2022, a JetBlue flight landing at Boston Logan International Airport saw a close call with a Learjet that took off without clearance. Last year also had a spate of near misses as in April a JetBlue and Southwest plane were cleared on a collision path at Washington National before air traffic controllers took the necessary measures to spot the collision. In May, an American Airlines plane canceled its takeoff at Washington National after it was informed that a different aircraft was landing on an intersecting runway. Earlier this year, Delta and United Airlines planes experienced "a loss of required separation" while heading to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said, but both planes were able to land safely. The rising number of near misses coincides with a staffing crisis that has plagued air control centers at airports across the country. According to data from the union representing air traffic controllers, about 91%, or 285 of 313 U.S. air traffic control facilities, operate below the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) recommended staffing levels. Notably, at 73 of these locations, at least a fourth of the workforce is missing — including Austin. This situation could be further complicated by Elon Musk's and President Donald Trump's efforts to reduce the government workforce. As a result, at a time when air traffic control towers are struggling with staffing shortages, Trump has incentivized FAA workers to quit and take buyouts. The email that gave workers the option to be bought out came just a day before the tragic crash in Washington, D.C. According to its website, ABIA currently has 14 projects in progress, including expansions of international arrivals, a new concourse, an expansion of the west gate, and the removal of a building on the property's south side. Overall funding for each of these projects is well into the billions and won't be finished until post-2030. Funding comes from a handful of entities including the City of Austin, the federal government and private funding. Some of the most expensive additions include the creation of Concourse B and an accompanying connector tunnel that will be finished by 2030. Funding for this is around $1.1 billion and was approved by the Austin City Council. ABIA is also adding three gates to the west section of the Barbara Jordan Terminal. This project is expected to cost $165 million and has a completion date set for 2026. According to Upgraded Points, a travel analytics website, Austin is the 8th fastest-growing airport in the country and has grown 13.23% in recent years. Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email Bsalgado@ This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Safety concerns grow as air control shortages plague Austin's airport
Axios
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Why Reagan National Airport has the country's busiest runway
The deadly American Airlines crash at DCA Wednesday evening is reupping long-held concerns about overcrowding at the airport and understaffing among air traffic controllers. The big picture: Just last year, Congress added more long-haul flights to DCA despite fears they would jeopardize safety. The airport saw at least two near-misses in 2024. Zoom in: Navigating the skies around DCA is notoriously challenging. Its short runways sit along the Potomac River in one of the most-protected airspaces in the country, and pilots often have to share the area with low-flying military helicopters. And as the tussle for more flights has been driven by airlines and members of Congress — many of whom want direct flights home — the airport has become increasingly congested: It was built to accommodate 15 million passengers a year, but now sees 25 million. The main runway is now the country's busiest, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA). Stunning stat: The runway sees 800 takeoffs and landings a day — or one almost every minute. Meanwhile, a nationwide shortage of airspace traffic controllers has led to even more challenging conditions in the tower. Air traffic control staffing at DCA during the crash was "not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic," per a New York Times review of a preliminary FAA safety report on the incident. One controller was overseeing landing and departing planes as well as helicopters in the airspace, reports the Times — a task normally handled by two people. DCA's air traffic control tower was almost a third below its staff goals in September 2023, per the latest Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan — 19 fully certified controllers out of a target of 30. What they're saying: "Those of us who live here, we know how complicated and congested an airspace this is," Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine said on NPR Thursday. "You have commercial flights, you have military flights, you have the president being flown on Marine 1 ... it's a congested airspace with some special rules." "We've been on the record for some time sounding the alarm about congestion and hoping that an event like last night would not occur," said Kaine. What's next: "This is a tremendous whole-of-government effort," National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy said Thursday. The agency intends to have a preliminary report ready in 30 days.
New York Times
30-01-2025
- General
- New York Times
Staffing was ‘not normal' at airport tower, according to a preliminary F.A.A. report.
Staffing at the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport was 'not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,' according to an internal preliminary Federal Aviation Administration safety report about the collision that was reviewed by The New York Times. The controller who was handling helicopters in the airport's vicinity Wednesday night was also instructing planes that were landing and departing from its runways. Those jobs typically are assigned to two controllers, rather than one. This increases the workload for the air traffic controller and can complicate the job. One reason is that the controllers can use different radio frequencies to communicate with pilots flying planes and pilots flying helicopters. While the controller is communicating with pilots of the helicopter and the jet, the two sets of pilots may not be able to hear each other. Like most of the country's air traffic control facilities, the tower at Reagan airport has been understaffed for years. The tower there was nearly a third below targeted staff levels, with 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023, according to the most recent Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan, an annual report to Congress that contains target and actual staffing levels. The targets set by the F.A.A. and the controllers' union call for 30. The shortage — caused by years of employee turnover and tight budgets, among other factors — has forced many controllers to work up to six days a week and 10 hours a day. The F.A.A. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
