New crisis for aviation industry as trainer shortage hits air traffic controllers

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Independent

Monday 01 September 2025 13:34 BST


The Federal Aviation Administration has launched a massive new drive for air traffic controller recruits but it doesn't have enough instructors to teach its newcomers. Many of the teachers at the FAA's training facility in Oklahoma City are retired former controllers who are in their mid-60's, according to a report from Bloomberg.

The influx of recruits means teachers are working from 7 a.m. to midnight, with just a $60 daily housing allowance to pay their rent while they teach.

A new labor contract for the teachers has boosted their pay — they now earn around $46 per hour — but that hasn't made their hours any more bearable.

Bloomberg obtained shift schedules and emails from the academy with eight current instructors. The instructors spoke to the publication on the condition of anonymity over fears of reprisal. Most of the instructors at the school are employed by Science Applications International Corp which is a federal contractor.

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/faa-air-traffic-controllers-shortage-b2815360.html

[underpants]

1. Hold on Duffy didn't plan for this?

[LiberalArkie]

2. They must have been planning to use military controllers like a previous president did when he fired controllers

[chowder66]

3. Way to install confidence Duffy.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. My brother is one of them. DOGE cut his job, so he had to take this job.

Now, he is here in OKC and his family is in NYC.

[AZ8theist]

5. The stupidity of this MAGAT administration is beyond belief.

[Skittles]

8. yes

DOGE is the "waste, fraud and abuse"

[groundloop]

6. We're quickly taking a back seat to other countries in aviation safety (along with everything else)

Control towers are already operating at reduced staffing levels, this is one more problem Democrats will have to fix when we retake control of the government.

[Chili Pepper]

9. Unfortunately, the under staffing issue has been going on for a long time.

I can understand why Trump (and Bush) ignored this, but I can’t understand why the dems (Biden & Obama) have.

[Avalon Sparks]

7. Easy fix

Just have Musk or another Tech Bro make an AI system to train newbies. Problem solved

Or better yet let AI do the traffic control instead of humans.

Sarcasm fully engaged, but I bet they will offer up those as solutions soon.

[nwduke]

10. What do you expect

when you put a FOX tabloid host in charge of the FAA!

[mahina]

11. Making Plane Crashes Great Again!