Source: Fox News
Summary
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) set a new record by hiring 2,235 air traffic controller trainees in fiscal year 2026, surpassing its goal of 2,200. The agency also reached its highest certified controller staffing level in a decade, with 11,027 certified controllers as of Sept. 30. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy credited President Trump for reducing hiring timelines and expanding training programs. The FAA’s three-year plan aims to hire 2,200 trainees in 2026, 2,300 in 2027, and 2,400 in 2028. Despite progress, the agency remains 1,536 certified controllers short of its target.
Our Reading
As expected, the matter has reached another stage.
FAA hires more trainees than ever before.
Secretary Duffy praises Trump’s role in the process.
Numbers show progress but not full recovery.
The system keeps moving forward, one hiring cycle at a time.
Author: Evan Null
FAA’s Hiring Surge
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) set a new record by hiring 2,235 air traffic controller trainees in fiscal year 2026. This surpassed its goal of 2,200 and marked the most trainees hired in a single fiscal year in agency history. The agency also reached its highest certified controller staffing level in a decade, with 11,027 certified professional controllers as of Sept. 30. This is part of a broader three-year plan to address staffing shortages.
Transportation Secretary’s Statement
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News Digital that the FAA is hiring more air traffic controllers than ever before. He credited President Trump for reducing hiring timelines and expanding training programs. Duffy emphasized that while the numbers show progress, the agency is still working to reverse decades of staffing shortages. The goal is to hire 2,200 trainees in 2026, 2,300 in 2027, and 2,400 in 2028.
Staffing Challenges
The FAA entered fiscal year 2026 with 10,694 certified professional controllers and ended it with 11,027, a net increase of 333. However, the agency’s workforce plan identifies 12,563 certified professional controllers as the staffing target needed to meet forecast demand. That leaves the FAA 1,536 certified controllers below its target as it enters fiscal year 2027. The agency is working to accelerate the hiring and training pipeline as it contends with retirements and other workforce losses.
Training and Hiring Improvements
The FAA has moved to accelerate the hiring and training pipeline as it contends with retirements and other workforce losses. Changes to the hiring process have shaved more than five months off the time it takes to bring on new recruits. The agency has also expanded its Enhanced Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative, allowing qualified graduates of participating college programs to bypass the FAA Academy and report directly to facilities for on-the-job training.
Future Goals and Challenges
The FAA’s three-year hiring plan aims to hire 2,200 trainees in 2026, 2,300 in 2027, and 2,400 in 2028. The record-setting year marks the first step in the FAA’s three-year hiring push. Despite progress, the agency remains 1,536 certified controllers short of its target. The administration has also worked to retain experienced controllers while accelerating the pipeline for new ones. Nearly 400 retirement-eligible controllers were retained through a new bonus structure.
