FAA Certifies Shenandoah University for Enhanced Air Traffic Controller Training Program

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has partnered with Shenandoah University in Virginia to join the Enhanced Air Traffic – Collegiate Training Initiative (E-CTI). Students who pass the E-CTI program can apply to become controllers on a fast track – skipping the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City and jumping straight to on-site facility training.

According to the FAA, Shenandoah University is the 13th school to be certified as an E-CTI program and the 10th under Secretary Duffy. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the partnership marks another vital step in the ongoing commitment to strengthen and modernize the air traffic controller pipeline, with the safety of the National Airspace System remaining the top priority.

Secretary Duffy noted that in the first 18 months of the Trump Administration, the FAA has a record-breaking 4,000 controllers in the training pipeline and reached the highest staffing levels in a decade. The agency has taken bold action to supercharge the controller hiring pipeline, create new financial incentives, and retain existing controllers.

E-CTI students who pass final performance and written assessments receive an official FAA endorsement certificate. These graduates can then apply to become a controller and be placed directly in an FAA facility to begin training, provided they pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment test and meet medical and security requirements.

The agreement with Shenandoah University is for its control tower program, allowing successful students the opportunity to be placed in an FAA air traffic control tower. This differs from the Standard AT-CTI, where graduates still go to the FAA Academy but bypass the introductory Air Traffic Basics Course, having already completed it at their Standard AT-CTI school.

The FAA also offers a year-round hiring opportunity for experienced controllers from the military and private industry and continues to expand its use of modernized simulators that enhance training by immersing trainees in real-world scenarios.