FAA announces they’ve filled 1,800 air traffic controllers, set to begin training process

WASHINGTON — After months of operating with a severe staffing shortage, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that it has now exceeded its goal of hiring 1,800 air traffic controllers this year.

This latest round of hiring marked the largest number of hires in nearly a decade. In an effort to keep these numbers up, the agency extended the application window for another round of hiring this fall.

Channel 2 Washington Correspondent Kirstin Garriss spoke to an air traffic controller and a representative of the FAA about what they’re doing to make the training work, and ensure flights run smoothly.

Air traffic controllers are the people who ensure tens of thousands of flights arrive safely ever day. They’re critical guides to help pilots get in and out of airports across the United States.

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“After every training session, there’s a debrief period where they talk about things that didn’t go so great, and then the things that you did really well,” Andrea Cogdill, air traffic controller, said. “So it’s kind of a balance of strengths and weaknesses.”

Cogdill has been an air traffic controller for 23 years. Now she’s training again to advance her skills within the FAA and said the specialized training at the FAA Academy can be challenging, but there’s a team supporting you.

“There’s a few people that are assigned to you personally, but the entire facility is working together as a team in order to ensure you certify,” Cogdill said.

Now that the FAA has hired more than 1,800 new air traffic controllers this year, they’re working to keep the numbers up and is already thinking ahead.

FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in a statement that “by starting early and casting a wide net for applications, we will continue to make progress on this critical work.”

The agency said they also continuously recruit controllers with previous air traffic experience from the military and private industry.

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