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President Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Highlights How ATC Applicants are Entering FAA Academy 4X Faster Under New Streamlined Process

Friday, July 11, 2025

Applicants to the FAA Academy previously waited 13+ months for admission

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On the heels of National Air Traffic Control Day, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy updates the supercharge air traffic controller hiring pipeline.  

Since the rollout of the Secretary’s supercharge plan, the FAA has expanded onsite Academy training by nearly 30 percent, with July seeing the highest number of Academy students in training in FAA’s history (550 students by the end of the month). The FAA has also shaved more than five months off the administrative process, ensuring students who scored in the top percentile are seated in the Academy quickly. These early results demonstrate a significant step forward in growing this key workforce.      

“It’s going to take time to address the nationwide controller shortage, but I’m pleased to see our supercharge initiative is taking off. With our new streamlined hiring process, the best and the brightest candidates are starting their careers in air traffic control faster,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “We’ll continue to leverage opportunities big and small to keep chipping away at the shortage to keep our skies safe.” 

“We’re making real progress by investing in our workforce and removing barriers that slowed us down in the past,” said FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau. “The work is ongoing, but we’re committed to hiring the best air traffic controllers to keep our national airspace system safe and efficient.”

Additional Information

Secretary Duffy announced the streamlined process earlier this year at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. Previously, the average time from application to admission into the FAA Academy exceeded 12 months, often leaving qualified individuals in extended waiting periods or causing them to pursue alternative career paths. With the new, streamlined process, the best and brightest are entering the Academy much faster with less uncertainty.  

Secretary Duffy also announced a package to boost the controller workforce, including financial incentives for graduates and new hires for completing initial training milestones, and those who are assigned to hard-to-staff facilities. The FAA expanded the number of instructors, established a tutoring lab and continues to fill every available seat at the Academy. The FAA is also streamlining hiring previous experience controllers, further bolstering the workforce.

For more information about careers in air traffic control and the application process, please visit: faa.gov/atc-hiring.

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