October 24, 2010 - The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General plans to review air traffic controller staffing and training at the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) busiest, most complex air traffic control facilities.   

Due to increased controller attrition and hiring, the FAA currently faces a shortage of fully certified controllers at these locations and only fully certified controllers are qualified to control traffic at all positions of their assigned area and provide on-the-job training for new controllers.  

OIG audit objective will be to review the FAA’s plans to provide its most critical air traffic control facilities with appropriate controller staffing, training resources, and other support necessary to ensure the continuity of facility operations. 

The FAA estimates that it will need to hire and train nearly 11,000 new air traffic controllers by fiscal year 2019 to replace those hired after the 1981 strike who are now retiring.  

In addressing this challenge, the FAA needs to ensure that all air traffic control facilities have enough experienced controllers to maintain the safety of the National Airspace System, especially at the busiest, most complex facilities.

Accordingly, OIG audit objective is to review FAA’s plans to provide its most critical air traffic control facilities with appropriate controller staffing, training resources, and other support necessary to ensure the continuity of facility operations. OIG plans to begin the audit later this month at FAA Headquarters and selected air traffic control facilities.