Now the FAA says gamers are the answer to its air traffic controller shortage

• 01The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in January that the number of air traffic controllers in the US has declined by around 6 percent in the last decade.
• 02The Trump administration is launching a recruiting campaign targeting gamers ahead of the opening of the annual air traffic control hiring window on April 17th.
• 03The Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General (OIG) identified that the FAA is facing 'considerable challenges with training, including a shortage of qualified instructors, training capacity limitations, an outdated curriculum, and high training failure rates.'
• 04An FAA recruiting video featuring video game clips promises an average salary of $155,000 per year after three years.
• 05According to the FAA, air traffic controllers said in exit interviews that gaming influenced 'their ability to think quickly, stay focused, and manage complexity.'
• 06The Biden administration launched a 'Level Up' recruiting push in 2021 targeting gamers, women, and members of minority groups for air traffic controller positions.
• 07A previous Trump administration campaign that closed in March 2025 'attracted more than 10,000 applications,' resulting in about 600 trainees entering the Controller Training Academy, according to the OIG.
• 08NATCA president Nick Daniels said the union 'welcomes innovative approaches to expanding the candidate pool,' including 'outreach to individuals with high-level aptitude skills such as gamers.'

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The Trump administration launched a recruiting campaign targeting gamers to address persistent shortages of air traffic controllers, ahead of a hiring window opening April 17th. The FAA said controllers cited gaming as influencing their ability to think quickly and manage complexity, and the campaign promises an average salary of $155,000 after three years. However, the Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General identified significant training challenges including outdated curriculum and high failure rates, and the GAO noted that the hiring process itself may cause applicants to accept other positions before receiving employment offers.