NATCA Bookshelf

NIW Today | 40 1 STAFFING CRISIS Air traffic controller staffing continues to be a major concern for NATCA, as the FAA remains at a 30-year low for certified professional controllers (CPCs), and nearly 2,000 (over 18% of the FAA's CPC workforce) are eligible to retire. ISSUE QUICK REFERENCE Air traffic controllers and other aviation safety professionals who work in air traffic control facilities and also participate in modernization initiatives are dedicated and highly skilled. They are forced to shoulder the burden of chronically understaffed facilities. No one wants delays, interruptions to service, or decreased capacity. Controllers at the most critically-understaffed facilities are forced to work mandatory overtime in order to maintain current capacity. In order for controllers to continue providing the type of service the flying public deserves, we must continue to improve hiring, training, and placement processes. The most recent government shutdown exacerbated the current controller staffing crisis and will continue to cause a ripple effect that will delay controller training throughout 2019 and beyond. HOW THIS ISSUE AFFECTS NATCA MEMBERS x 2 3 During the recent 35-day government shutdown, the FAA suspended hiring and closed its training Academy in Oklahoma City. These actions exacerbated the controller staffing crisis and will continue to cause a ripple effect that will disrupt controller hiring and training throughout 2019 and for years to come. In recent years, NATCA advocated for several pieces of legislation that became law to revamp the FAA's hiring process and help alleviate the staffing crisis. We also collaborated with the FAA on many initiatives to improve facility staffing. The FAA should continue to work with NATCA to address staffing in a more comprehensive manner.

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