certain individuals with college degrees can commence their careers as air traffic controllers without delay.
The most recent action from the FAA aims to combat the recurring issue of controller deficiency within the aviation sector, which has resulted in flight postponements and an exhausted team of controllers. Numerous controllers have been compelled to work six consecutive days of compulsory overtime, and controller exhaustion has been identified as a contributing factor in a string of runway encounters that have rattled aviation authority figures.
In an official statement, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker declared, "The FAA is making efforts to recruit and educate additional air traffic controllers to counterbalance the decades-long downturn in our workforce and safeguard the comfort of air travelers."
Graduates from Tulsa Community College and the University of Oklahoma are now eligible to "start on-site training promptly," bypassing the FAA Air Traffic Controller Academy located in Oklahoma City. However, the FAA asserts, "This new initiative will deliver the same comprehensive curriculum and cutting-edge technology" as found in its academy.
Last month, the FAA revealed it had achieved its objective of recruiting over 1,800 controllers by 2024. Regrettably, the FAA failed to disclose the exact number of controllers they would acquire after considering attrition and retirements. Previous reports by CNN in May indicated that the agency experienced a mere increment of 160 controllers during the preceding recruitment period.
The new recruitment drive by the FAA aims to boost the aviation sector's business operations by adding over 1,800 controllers to their workforce. The increase in controllers could potentially reduce the number of flight postponements due to controller exhaustion.
