The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced the reinstatement of its Flight Deck Training program for air traffic controllers. The program lets controllers apply for jumpseat access on eligible flights to gain firsthand experience with flight deck operations.
Controllers may take part in two commercial or general aviation flights and one military flight per year. The FAA says all major U.S. airlines have agreed to participate.
The FAA says testing has identified benefits, including helping controllers recognize when to avoid complex instructions and understand how instructions such as landing-runway changes can affect pilot workload. The formal program is expected to begin after Thanksgiving.
