The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it exceeded its Fiscal Year 2026 goal by hiring 2,235 air traffic controller trainees, the most in FAA history.
This record follows a gamer campaign that recruited more than 12,000 qualified Americans to apply within 24 hours.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the milestone is not the finish line, and the focus is on bringing the best people into the profession.
Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy's effort is on track to hire at least 8,900 new trainees through 2028. The FAA's 2026-2028 workforce plan calls for hiring at least 2,300 new controller trainees in FY27 and 2,400 in FY28.
