Bryan Bedford
FAA Administrator
2 articles
Power
FAA Closes ATC Hiring Window After 8,000 Applications; Agency at 50 Percent of FY2026 Goal With 1,200 New Controllers Already Onboarded
The FAA's April 17 air traffic controller hiring window — limited to 8,000 applications — drew 6,000 submissions in its first 12 hours, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The agency has hired roughly 1,200 new controllers since October 2025, placing it more than halfway toward its fiscal-year 2,200 target, while a new national recruitment campaign explicitly courts video gamers as a candidate pool.
Power
FAA Opens 8,000-Slot Controller Hiring Window April 17, Pitching Gamers in a Campaign Built on Fortnite and Xbox Sound Effects
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy unveiled a new FAA recruitment push Friday aimed at the roughly 200 million Americans who play video games — citing exit interviews in which controllers credited gaming with the multitasking and quick-decision skills the job requires.