FAA Launches Major Hiring Push for Air Traffic Controllers, Wanting 9K More Nationwide

The Federal Aviation Administration has opened a new application portal as part of a nationwide hiring effort to add nearly 9,000 air traffic controllers by the end of 2028, with a specific focus on staffing the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility in East Garden City, Long Island, as reported by The New York Post.

According to FAA data, New York TRACON — which manages incoming and outgoing flights for John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport — is short at least 100 Certified Professional Controllers (CPCs). The agency intends to fill 226 positions at the facility over the next three years.

Applications to the FAA’s Air Traffic Controller Academy in Oklahoma City will be accepted through Aug. 15. Candidates who complete initial training will receive a $5,000 bonus, followed by another $5,000 upon placement at a facility in a high-cost area.

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The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General is currently auditing New York TRACON after a 2024 decision moved a dozen CPCs responsible for Newark Liberty International Airport’s airspace to a radar facility in Philadelphia.

The shift left New York TRACON’s remaining staff working 60-hour weeks.

In April and May of this year, radar blackouts lasting up to 90 seconds impacted controllers managing Newark flights.

Rep. Laura Gillen (D-NY) called the facility “in dire need of more air traffic controllers and key infrastructure upgrades” and urged the FAA to reverse the transfer of personnel to Philadelphia.

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The FAA’s recruitment push comes amid broader concerns over outdated systems, flight delays, and safety issues.

Nearly 1,000 candidates have applied to the FAA Academy so far this year, with 550 submitting applications in July after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced steps to reduce administrative delays and speed up hiring.

The FAA plans to recruit from both the private sector and the U.S. military. Training will be streamlined by using simulators at 95 facilities, which the agency says will reduce training time by 27%.

However, with a 35% attrition rate at the academy, the FAA could still fall short of its staffing goals by as many as 3,000 controllers.

This year, more than 2,000 new controllers are expected to join the workforce, with the agency projecting 8,900 new hires by the end of 2028. An additional 4,600 safety inspectors and engineers are expected to be hired by 2034.

“In our first 100 days, this administration has made more progress on addressing the air traffic controller shortage than the last one did in four years,” Duffy said.

His department is also offering retention bonuses of up to 20% of annual salaries and waivers to keep experienced controllers past the mandatory retirement age of 56.

The urgency of the hiring effort has been heightened by the Jan. 29 midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which killed 63 people.

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