A Plan For

The Future

2006-2015

The Federal Aviation Administration’s 10-Year 

Strategy for the Air Traffic Control Workforce

June 2006

A Plan For

The Future

2006-2015

Administration

Federal Aviation

The Federal Aviation Administration’s 10-Year 

Strategy for the Air Traffic Control Workforce

June 2006

TC06-0033

Table of Contents

Executive Summary 4

Chapter 1 - Introduction 9

Chapter 2 - Air Traffic Services and Control Facilities 13

Chapter 3 - Air Traffic Controller Staffing Requirement 17

Chapter 4 - Air Traffic Controller Losses 29

Chapter 5 - Air Traffic Controller Hiring Plan 35

Chapter 6 - Air Traffic Controller Hiring Process 39

Chapter 7 - Air Traffic Controller Training 47

Chapter 8 - Air Traffic Controller Workforce Funding Status 61

Chapter 9 - Key Assumptions 65

Appendix A - Projected Controller Losses By Facility: 

FY 2006–FY 2009 69
 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Executive Summary

The Federal Aviation Administration employs nearly 15,000 air traffic controllers, responsible for 

safely and efficiently guiding aircraft from takeoff to landing through the nation’s airspace and 

through oceanic airspace where the United States has jurisdiction. Over the next 10 years, fiscal year 

(FY) 2006 through FY 2015, approximately 70 percent of the agency’s controller workforce will 

become eligible to retire. In addition to retirements, controllers are lost due to promotions, internal 

transfers, resignations, training failures, removal and death. Total losses over the next 10 years are 

expected to be approximately 10,300.

In December 2004, the FAA published A Plan for the Future, The Federal Aviation Administration’s 

10-Year Strategy for the Air Traffic Control Workforce. This blueprint outlined the agency’s plan to hire 

and train controllers. Additionally, the plan outlined FAA initiatives to achieve staff savings through 

workplace efficiencies and improved productivity, and initiatives to achieve cost savings. Because the 

plan relies on traffic projections, controller retirement and other loss projections, the FAA will be 

updating the plan annually to reflect the latest data in its controller-loss model and traffic forecasts and 

will be issued in April of each year. This is the first update report to the FAA’s December 2004 plan. 

Accomplishments

Since submitting its plan in December 2004, the FAA has made good progress in addressing the 

looming air traffic controller retirement challenge. Major accomplishments in the areas of hiring, 

training, staff savings and cost savings include:

Hiring

• Hired 1,075 controllers from January 2005 to May 2006, including 211 displaced

Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) Specialists who were placed into terminal air

traffic control facilities for operational training and subsequent certified professional

controller (CPC) duties.

• Conducted career information sessions (job fairs) at five locations. Out of 2,566

attendees, approximately 440 were selected for testing and of those, 355 passed 

subsequent Air Traffic Selection and Training (AT-SAT) testing. 

• Fully implemented administration of the AT-SAT examination to include all graduating

College Training Initiative (CTI) students.

Training

• Completed the planned upgrade to the FAA Academy terminal simulation, increasing its

training capabilities.

• Completed installation of the terminal simulation (tower cab) capability at Chicago

O’Hare, Ontario and Miami. 

• Completed redesign of the FAA Academy airspace for en route.
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 

• Communicated the goals and initiatives of the controller workforce plan to ensure that

training support providers and the air traffic CTI partners began preparations to meet 

the demands outlined in the plan. Enrollment in air traffic curricula has increased and 

training support providers have expanded their recruitment for instructors.

Staff Savings

• Implemented official time practices that resulted in 10 full-time employees performing

representational duties being released back to the air traffic control facilities to perform

controller duties. 

• Reassigned 12 air traffic controllers who were medically disabled from performing 

controller duties to technical and administrative positions at various field facilities

nationwide. In addition, three air traffic controllers receiving compensation were removed 

from the Department of Labor Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) list. 

• Implemented automated tools such as the Facility Activity Tool in en route, and

Cru-X/ATO Resource Tool in both terminal and en route facilities, which are providing

air traffic managers with the ability to monitor controller activity distributions and other

activities to better match controller staffing to traffic demand.

• Implemented Special Federal Aviation Regulation SR103, which provides authority to 

the FAA Administrator to grant waivers to the mandatory retirement age of 56 years for

air traffic controllers. As of January 2006, 16 waiver requests were received, six were granted.

Cost Savings

• Created a new type of temporary trainee position at the FAA Academy that decreases 

the agency’s cost of providing initial air traffic controller training. 

• Realized an estimated one-year cost avoidance of $5.4 million through management

of new OWCP claims. 

• Realized an estimated one-year cost avoidance of more than $1 million through the

OWCP Return-to-Work (RTW) program for longer term claims. 

• Realized a direct labor cost reduction of almost $1 million associated with the decrease in

controller time charged to participation in workgroups, meetings and conferences.

• Began providing air traffic control services with five newly built contract towers.
 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Controller Staffing Requirement

The March 2006 traffic growth forecast was applied to the air traffic staffing standards to generate 

an updated 10-year controller staffing projection. The FAA had projected in its original plan that a 

modest 10 percent controller savings could be realized with our planned productivity initiatives over 

a five-year period. In FY 2005, the 3 percent productivity target was achieved. We are on track to 

achieve the 10 percent productivity goal by FY 2009. 

Controller Retirements and Other Losses

In FY 2005, 465 controllers retired versus 341 projected in the 2004 plan. A review of 

retirement data indicates that approximately 23 percent of the controllers are retiring within 

their first year of retirement eligibility and nearly 77 percent of the retirement-eligible controller 

workforce is projected to retire within the first six years of retirement eligibility. We have refined our 

methodology since the first plan and should be more accurate in projecting actual retirements. As of 

June 30, 2006, FY 2006 actual retirements are 405 versus a projected year end total of 467, with one 

quarter to go. The methodology was also updated to correct the treatment of mandatory retirements 

in the original plan that resulted in over-estimating retirements in later years.

In addition to retirements, controllers are lost due to internal transfers, promotions to 

operational supervisors, resignations, removals, death and Academy training failures. The 

number of controllers projected to be lost through FY 2015 due to these factors is over 3,500. 

The total controller loss through FY 2015 is projected to be approximately 10,300. 

Controller Hiring Plan

Over 11,800 controllers will need to be hired through FY 2015. This hiring number takes into 

account traffic growth and provides adequate training lead-time depending on the position. As 

a result, the projected actual on-board staffing will exceed the annual staffing targets because 

hiring is being done in advance of when the controllers will actually be needed to allow time for 

training. Availability of capable people is not an issue; the current pool of controller candidates 

from FAA’s various hiring sources exceeds 3,700. 

Controller Training 

The FAA has the physical capacity to train the number of controllers required in this plan. 

Academy training and facility training improvements have been implemented and further 

improvements are continuing. Even-flow hiring that links Academy training capacity and facility 

training capacity has avoided training bottlenecks at both the Academy and in-the-field facilities. 

Contract instructors are being used at targeted facilities to supplement the training provided by 

CPC personnel. This has proven to be a cost-effective approach for providing facility training.

During FY 2005, the agency’s simulation capability has been both improved and expanded. This is 

being done to reduce the training time required for developmental controllers to achieve CPC status.
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 

Challenges Ahead

To be able to sustain the hiring necessary to meet the controller workforce plan over the long 

term, the FAA is aggressively managing its costs. In this constrained fiscal environment, it will 

be extremely challenging to sustain the long-term hiring and training to meet the projected 

controller staffing requirement. 

Plan Updates

The first plan gave a detailed description of the controller retirement wave and how the agency 

planned to address it. This update provides the status of the initiatives outlined in the plan. Budget, 

traffic and retirement projections have also been updated. The original plan should be used as a 

reference for background information.

This is the second in a series of annual reports to outline what will be evolving methodologies and 

management initiatives to ensure the FAA has an adequate air traffic controller workforce to meet the 

future needs of the national airspace system.

Chapter 1

Introduction
10 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Chapter 1: 

Introduction

This is the first update of the FAA’s December 2004 report A Plan for the Future: The Federal Aviation 

Administration’s 10-Year Strategy for the Air Traffic Control Workforce.

The agency will not continue to track in these updates those initiatives in the December 2004 

plan that are not directly related to air traffic controller staffing. These initiatives, such as office 

consolidation and decommissioning of navigation aids, are tracked in other FAA plans.

The remainder of the update contains a condensed description of the initiatives, the status of 

each initiative and the results achieved through May 2006. The 2004 plan should be referenced 

as background for a detailed description of the initiatives and their rationales.

This update revises controller retirement projections and staffing requirements based on actual 

results and changes in traffic forecasts since 2004. We have refined our methodology since the 

first plan and should be more accurate in projecting actual retirements. The methodology was 

also updated to correct the treatment of mandatory retirements in the original plan that resulted 

in over-estimating retirements in later years. In the December 2004 report, we estimated the 

need to hire 1,249 controllers in FY 2006 based on traffic forecasts produced in March of that 

year. The March 2005 traffic forecast predicted 1,129 hires for FY 2006. For this update, the 

March 2006 traffic forecast came in lower than the March 2004 and March 2005 forecasts, 

resulting in the need to hire 930 air traffic controllers for FY 2006.

1.1 Background

On August 3, 1981, a majority of the air traffic controller workforce went on strike. President 

Ronald Reagan ordered the striking controllers to return to duty within 48 hours. President 

Reagan fired 10,438 controllers who elected not to return to duty within the specified time 

frame. About 4,700 controllers remained on duty. From 1982 through 1991, the agency hired an 

average of 2,655 controllers per year. This hiring wave created the likelihood that a large portion 

of the controller workforce would reach retirement age in roughly the same period of time. 

The agency currently employs nearly 15,000 controllers. It is estimated that nearly 10,500 controllers 

(about 70 percent of the workforce) will become eligible to retire through FY 2015. 

1.2 Controller Workforce Age Distribution

Figure 1.1 shows the controller workforce age distribution as of September 2005.
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 11

As of September 2005, there were 2,019 controllers age 50 or greater, compared to 2,008 

controllers in September 2004.

1.3 Controller Retirement Eligibility

The numbers of controllers currently eligible (CE) as of September 2005 and those who will become 

retirement eligible over the period FY 2006 to FY 2015 are shown in Figure 1.2. Most controllers become 

retirement eligible at 50 years of age with 20 years of service or at any age with 25 years of service. Number of Controllers

* currently eligible as of September 2005

Figure 1.2: Controller Retirement Eligibility Number of Controllers

Controller Age Group

Figure 1.1: Controller Age Distribution as of September 2005

Fiscal Year

2,000

1,800

1,600

1,400

1,200

1,000

800

600

400

200

0

≤ 23

24-2526-2728-2930-3132-3334-3536-3738-3940-4142-4344-4546-4748-4950-5152-5354-5556-5758-5960-61

≥ 62

45

165

355

415 451

540

664

747

899

1,399

1,715

1,920

1,734

1,342

762

509

268

159 162

86 73

1,800

1,600

1,400

1,200

1,000

800

600

400

200

0

CE* 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

1,699

718

1,266

915

814

981 957 976

815 829

511
12 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

1.4 Estimated Controller Losses

Through FY 2015, approximately 10,500 air traffic controllers will become eligible to retire. 

However, not all controllers retire within the first year of eligibility. Retirement figures from FY 2004 

indicate that approximately 77 percent of controllers retire within the first six years of eligibility.

Based on this historical data, the FAA estimates that 6,700 controllers will retire by FY 2015. 

This is lower than reported in the December 2004 report, primarily due to refinement in the 

forecasting of retirements and a correction in the treatment of mandatory retirements to avoid 

double counting. In addition to retirements, controllers are lost due to promotions, internal 

transfers, resignations, training failures, removals and death. These losses are estimated to be 3,600 

controllers through FY 2015. All categories of controller losses are included in the FAA’s hiring 

estimate and workforce plan. The FAA anticipates losing almost 10,300 controllers through FY 

2015. 

Managing the upcoming wave of controller losses will pose significant management challenges due 

to a heavier than normal training workload in the en route centers and terminals. The remainder of 

this document provides an update of the FAA’s initial strategy for hiring, training and certification of 

controllers to ensure that there are no gaps in the provision of air traffic services due to the growing 

controller losses projected through FY 2015. 
Chapter 2

Air Traffic Services and 

Control Facilities 
14 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Chapter 2: 

Air Traffic Services and Control Facilities

There has been no change in air traffic controller positions, phases of flight and controller 

positions from last year’s report. Reference Chapter 2 of the December 2004 plan for a 

description of controller position responsibilities for each phase of flight.

2.1 FAA Air Traffic Control Facilities

As of January 2006, the FAA operated 316 air traffic control facilities and the Air Traffic Control System 

Command Center in the United States. Table 2.1 lists the type and number of these FAA facilities.

Type Name Number Description

1 Tower Without Radar 2

An airport traffic control terminal that provides service using direct 

observation primarily to aircraft operating under visual flight rules 

(VFR). These terminals are located at airports where the principal user 

category is low performance aircraft.

2 Terminal Radar Approach 

Control (TRACON) 22

An air traffic control terminal that provides radar-control service to 

aircraft arriving or departing the primary airport and adjacent airports, 

and to aircraft transiting the terminal’s airspace.

3

Combination Radar 

Approach Control and 

Tower with Radar

138

An air traffic control terminal that provides radar control services to aircraft 

arriving or departing the primary airport and adjacent airports, and to 

aircraft transiting the terminal’s airspace. This terminal is divided into two 

functional areas: radar approach control positions and tower positions. 

These two areas are located within the same facility, or in close proximity to 

one another, and controllers rotate between both areas.

4

Combination Non-Radar 

Approach Control and 

Tower without Radar

2

An air traffic control terminal that provides air traffic control services for the 

airport at which the tower is located and without the use of radar, approach 

and departure control services to aircraft operating under Instrument Flight 

Rules (IFR) to and from one or more adjacent airports.

6 Combined Control Facility 5

An air traffic control facility that provides approach control services for one 

or more airports as well as en route air traffic control (center control) for a 

large area of airspace. Some may provide tower services along with approach 

control and en route services.

7 Tower with Radar 122

An airport traffic control terminal that provides traffic advisories, spacing, 

sequencing and separation services to VFR and IFR aircraft operating within 

the vicinity of the airport using a combination of radar and direct observations.

8 Air Route Traffic Control 

Center (ARTCC) 21

An air traffic control facility that provides air traffic control service to aircraft 

operating on IFR flight plans within controlled airspace and principally during 

the en route phase of flight. When equipment capabilities and controller workload 

permit, certain advisory/assistance services may be provided to VFR aircraft.

9 Combined TRACON 

Facility 4

An air traffic control terminal that provides radar approach control services for 

two or more large hub airports, as well as other satellite airports, where no single 

airport accounts for more than 60% of the total Combined TRACON Facility’s 

air traffic count. This terminal requires such a large number of radar control 

positions that it precludes the rotation of controllers through all positions.

-

Air Traffic Control 

System Command Center 

(ATCSCC)

1

ATCSCC is responsible for the strategic aspects of the National 

Airspace System (NAS). ATCSCC modifies traffic flow and rates when 

congestion, weather, equipment outages, runway closures or other 

operational conditions affect the NAS.

Table 2.1: Types and Number of FAA Air Traffic Control Facilities
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 15

2.2 Airports

As of December 2005, there were 19,815 airports within the national airspace system. Of this total, 

approximately 5,288 are public use airports, with the remainder classified as private use airports. The 

FAA certificates public use airports that serve air carrier operations with aircraft seating nine or more 

passengers. As of December 2005, there were 599 certificated airports. There are 263 FAA towers 

located at public use airports and an additional 231 Federal Contract Towers (described below) at 

other airports. The FAA also provides terminal air traffic control services to approximately 3,134 

non-towered public use airports from remote FAA air traffic control facilities. Table 2.2 summarizes 

the number of airports at which air traffic control (ATC) services are provided.

Airports Number Air Traffic Control Service

Private Use Airports 14,501 None

Private Use Airports 26 ATC services provided by Non-Federal Towers

Public Use Airports (FAA towered) 263 FAA ATC Services

Public Use Airports (Military towered) 164 ATC services provided by military air traffic controllers

Public Use Airports (Federal towered) 231 Contractor-provided ATC services

Public Use Airports (Non-towered) 3,134 Remote FAA ATC services

Public Use Airports (Non-towered) 1,496 None

2.3 Federal Contract Towers 

In 1982, Congress authorized the FAA to begin a pilot program to contract for air traffic control services 

for five visual flight rule (VFR) towers that were closed as a result of the controller strike in August 1981. 

Since then, the contract tower program has been expanded to include additional FAA-operated VFR towers 

and to include towers at airports that never had an FAA-operated tower. Congress added a cost-sharing 

provision to the program in FY 1999. This provision allowed airports that would not normally qualify to be 

in the FAA’s Contract Tower Program to enter the program by paying for a portion of the tower’s operating 

cost. Contract controllers providing ATC services in towers that are in the Contract Tower Program must 

meet the same controller certification requirements as FAA controllers and are certified by the FAA. As of 

December 2005, there were 231 contract towers providing ATC services by contract controllers.

2.4 Military Towers

There are 164 military towers located at military installations throughout the United States or where 

there is a heavy military presence at a combination civilian and military airport. Military controllers 

provide ATC services to civilian aircraft as well as military aircraft at those airports. Military 

controllers must meet the same qualification criteria as FAA controllers.

Table 2.2: Air Traffic Control Services Provided to Airports

Includes civil and joint-use civil-military airports, heliports, short takeoff and landing ports, and seaplane bases in the U.S. and its territories.
16 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

2.5 Non-Federal Towers

There are 26 non-federal towers located at private use airports. Controllers operating in these towers 

must meet the same qualification criteria as FAA controllers. The FAA does not provide funding or 

ATC services at these towers. 
Chapter 3

Air Traffic Controller 

Staffing Requirement 
18 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Chapter 3: 

Air Traffic Controller Staffing Requirement

is chapter presents the air traffic controller staffing levels the FAA estimates it will need by 

individual fiscal year, through FY 2015, to manage air traffic demands. ese staffing levels will 

be updated annually to reflect changes in the traffic forecasts, productivity, and other factors. An 

updated report will be issued every April.

3.1 Air Traffic Staffing Standard Review and Reassessment 

e FAA has used air traffic staffing standards to determine national controller staffing levels since 

the 1970s. e staffing standards were geared to the development of a national staffing level and were 

not expected to determine exact staffing requirements at the individual facility level. In 2005, the 

FAA began an air traffic staffing standard review and reassessment with the expectation of developing 

staffing targets at the facility level. 

Initiative: Reassess Staffing Models

Status: e existing terminal and en route staffing models are being used, along with 

assumptions on productivity, to provide tentative targets at the facility level.

Future Milestones: Efforts are underway with MITRE to quantify sector complexity at all en 

route facilities. is activity will be completed during FY 2006.

e FAA is studying the establishment of a controller staffing range at the facility level to better 

reflect the variability of drivers of actual staffing levels at individual facilities. A nominal staffing 

target with an acceptable range may better match the reality of staffing at a facility. e staffing range 

would be established to allow for maintaining a safe operation at any point within the range. e 

staffing range concept is depicted in the graphic below:
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 19

3.2 Air Traffic Controller Annual Staffing Targets 

The most recent traffic growth forecast was used with the air traffic staffing standards to generate an 

updated 10-year controller staffing projection. A 2004 management review identified initiatives that 

have the potential to yield modest controller productivity savings of approximately 10 percent over 

the next five years relative to the staffing standard projection. Staff savings goals were established at 3 

percent in FY 2005, an additional 2 percent in FY 2006 through FY 2008 and a 1 percent savings in 

FY 2009. Applying these savings against the staffing standard projections provided the annual staffing 

targets. The 2004 management review applied the staff savings equally among all facilities over the fiveyear period. We will maintain the overall staffing targets depicted in this plan. We now believe, however, 

that there will be more potential in the en route centers and large TRACONs and less potential in the 

smaller terminal facilities. Technology introduced into en route has allowed us to realize efficiencies. 

Larger facilities also should benefit more from scheduling and work force management improvements 

than the smaller towers. In many smaller towers, staffing is set more by required positions than volume 

of workload, making efficiencies harder to achieve. A comparison of the annual staffing targets and actual 

on-board staffing versus the staffing standard projections is shown in Figure 3.1. Because the hiring profile 

provides training lead-time for new hires, the actual on-board staffing exceeds the annual staffing targets.

The annual staffing targets have been updated from last year’s plan to reflect changes in traffic forecasts. Number of Controllers

Fiscal Year

Figure 3.1: End of Year Controller Staffing Targets

* incorporates productivity gains

18,000

17,500

17,000

16,500

16,000

15,500

15,000

14,500

14,000

13,500

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Staffing Standard Projections

Actual On Board Requirement

Annual Staffing Targets*

15,054

15,278

15,499

15,743

16,013

16,290

16,575

16,880

17,195

17,498

14,670

14,798 14,933

15,155

15,485

15,730

15,836 15,922 15,999 16,102

14,301

14,209 14,104 14,169

14,412

14,661

14,918

15,192

15,476

15,748
20 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

3.3 Controller Staff Savings

The FAA has undertaken several initiatives designed to achieve improved controller productivity. This 

section presents the progress that has been made to date and revisions to the initial planning.

3.3.1 Increased Work Efficiency 

The FAA established a goal to achieve a controller staff savings of 10 percent by FY 2010. 

Increasing efficiency involves better matching of staffing to traffic workload. Routine traffic 

activity at most facilities occurs with ebbs and flows during the shifts. All operating positions are 

required to be open during peak traffic. However, during slower periods, positions are combined 

and controllers are usually provided with breaks. Therefore, maximum staffing levels typically are 

not required at all times during the work shift. In our en route facilities, credit hour agreements 

have been reduced and work schedules reviewed. These actions provide air traffic managers more 

flexibility to match staffing to traffic demand.

Initiative: Increasing Work Efficiency

Status: During FY 2005, the FAA implemented the Facility Activity Tool (FAT) in its en 

route centers. This automated tool provides air traffic managers with the capability to obtain 

detailed shift activity for CPC and developmentals.

Future Milestone: The data collected will be used to determine how traffic demand aligns to 

on-position staffing data.

Results: Data is preliminary and has not been collected over a sufficiently long period. 

Consequently, no firm conclusions will be reached until later in FY 2006. It is expected, 

however, that the resulting analysis will show how additional traffic can be handled within 

existing staffing levels. This view is supported by actual experience during FY 2005, when 

the FAA handled more traffic with fewer people and no increase in overtime.

3.3.2 Flexible Work Schedules

Use of part-time/job sharing during peak traffic periods has potential to save on labor costs and, in 

some instances, encourage retention of employees by offering them additional job flexibility. 

A change in work assignments in field facilities has the potential to reduce costs by better 

matching staffing to traffic. If controllers were permitted to work three or four hours to cover a 

peak in workload, then leave and return later in the day when traffic returns to complete their 

workday, the need for additional personnel on specific shifts could be reduced. In the terminal 

option where airports serve hub/spoke operations by a major service provider, the utilization 

of split shifts offers significant resource savings. In the en route environment where areas of 

specialization are primary feeder sectors or departure sectors, improvements to staffing could 

also be realized through the use of split shifts. 
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 21

Initiative: Flexible Work Schedules

Status: Pending union negotiations.

3.3.3 Management of Overtime

Several years ago, the FAA established a goal to reduce operational overtime costs. While this effort 

was successful, it had an unintended consequence of increasing staffing costs. To reduce overtime, 

air traffic managers developed staffing estimates based on the number of hours that the various 

controller positions were active, which, in turn, was based on traffic demand scheduling. Several 

facilities have constrained resources, and the impact of training increased levels of developmentals 

as well as airspace changes will in some cases result in increased use of overtime. This will be a shortterm effect, and overtime usage will normalize in future years.

Initiative: Management of Overtime

Status: Air traffic managers are authorized to use overtime to reduce overall staffing costs when 

scheduling requires a position to be open a fraction (0.5 or less) of an eight-hour shift (or a fraction 

beyond an eight-hour shift). This new practice is expected to result in savings in both costs and staffing. 

Results: Despite reduced staffing in FY 2005, the FAA was able to hold overtime to FY 2004 levels.

3.3.4 Sick Leave Usage

A September 2004 Office of Inspector General (OIG) report, AV-2004-081, “Report on FAA’s 

Actions To Address Allegations of Leave and Overtime Abuse at Five Locations,” found that FAA 

management “had taken effective actions to determine if allegations were valid and to address them 

as appropriate.” While encouraged by management actions at these facilities, the OIG recommended 

that the FAA provide better information on leave usage to all agency managers. The FAA established 

a goal to reduce sick leave usage by 8 percent by FY 2006 through addressing sick leave abuse. 

Should the FAA be able to achieve that goal, the savings would equal the cost of 59 controllers.

Initiative: Sick Leave Usage

Status: Detailed procedures and a data collection mechanism were implemented in ATC 

facilities. These tools provide air traffic managers with the capability to detect patterns of 

sick leave use that are indicative of abuse.

Results: Sufficient sick leave usage data has not been collected at this point to draw firm 

conclusions about the effectiveness of the program. FY 2005 sick leave usage in our air traffic 

control facilities was slightly below the FY 2004 sick leave usage.
22 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

3.3.5 Worker’s Compensation

The FAA strives to ensure that Office of Workers’ Compensation Program (OWCP) benefits 

are used appropriately. The FAA has adopted a proactive approach to help return disabled and 

temporarily medically restricted personnel to work and more effectively manage new cases by:

• Better management of traumatic injury claims involving Continuation of Pay (COP).

• Providing initial and continuing education to managers, supervisors and support staff on

appropriate actions surrounding employee claims, including how to better controvert 

claims when appropriate.

• Maintaining an active “Return-to-Work” (RTW) program.

• Creating and maintaining a reporting system to track the number of claims, nature of

injury and related costs associated with traumatic injury claims and COP costs as 

recommended by the OIG in report AV-2003-011, dated January 17, 2003.

Initiative: Workers’ Compensation

Status: The scope of the consolidated workers’ compensation program has been expanded 

to include all claims from the Southwest Region and the Central Region. Approximately 

54 percent of the FAA’s total population and 62 percent of its OWCP costs are being 

managed under the consolidated approach. Incremental expansion will continue with 

plans for all of the FAA to be managed centrally by FY 2007. 

During FY 2005, more than 817 new claims (Headquarters, Southern, Great Lakes, Southwest 

and Central regions) were processed. Of these, the FAA facilitated 104 resolutions that 

included return to duty and benefit terminations, and challenged approximately 50 claims of 

questionable veracity that led to 43 case denials by the Department of Labor. The other 670 

claims were either “no time lost” cases with little or no associated medical costs or cases in 

which the employee returned to work prior to the case being referred to an OWCP Specialist.

In the RTW program for FY 2005, 12 longer-term OWCP claims recipients that were air 

traffic controllers and medically eligible RTW recipients returned to work. An additional 

three air traffic controllers that had been receiving compensation were removed from the 

Department of Labor OWCP list for reasons such as retirement, non-acceptance of FAA 

RTW job, or claimant deceased.

Future Milestones: The FAA will continue management and monitoring of OWCP claims 

and the RTW program during FY 2006.

Results: Management of new claims realized an estimated one-year cost avoidance of $5.4 

million. The RTW program for longer-term claims realized an estimated one-year cost 

avoidance of $1 million. These savings will continue into later years.
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 23

3.3.6 Official Time

An OIG report, “Using Cru-X To Capture Official Time Spent On Representational Activities” 

(AV 2004-033), dated February 10, 2004, observed that the FAA includes as official time both 

time granted for traditional representational activities and time spent as a facility representative. 

In response, the FAA established an Official Time Task Force to identify strategies to facilitate the 

recording, monitoring and reduction of official time used FAA-wide for union representational 

duties. The Task Force made recommendations to the Administrator early in FY 2005. 

Initiative: Official Time

Status: Official Time Task Force recommendations were implemented during the first half 

of FY 2005. The FAA is using an automated official time reporting system to collect and 

analyze official time data. This has provided the Air Traffic Organization with the ability to 

identify all official time use that is not authorized by statute or contract.

Future Milestones: The FAA will continue data collection and monitoring of official time 

during FY 2006.

Results: 10 full-time persons involved with representational activities were released back to 

the facilities to perform air traffic control duties.

3.3.7 Controller Participation in Workgroups, Meetings and Conferences

Each year, air traffic controllers attend workgroups, meetings, conferences or other activities 

where management decides their expertise is needed. Though it is recognized that their 

contribution to such projects is valuable, the time air traffic professionals spend on non-traffic 

control activities affects costs. 

When controllers are participating in workgroups, meetings and conferences, backfill overtime 

is used to cover their traffic control responsibilities. A more judicious use of controller 

participation in non-traffic control activities will result in decreased backfill overtime costs. 

In FY 2005, the FAA implemented a plan to ensure that requests for controller participation 

in workgroups are assessed for benefit and cost. Controller participation need is validated on 

a monthly basis and a database is used to track controller workgroup participation and costs. 

Controller participation in workgroups, meetings and conferences was reduced by 23,400 

hours from the previous year. 
24 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Initiative: Controller Participation in Workgroups, Meetings and Conferences

Status: The FAA’s plan to assess requests for labor representation in terms of benefit, financial 

impact and return on investment has been implemented in all air traffic facilities. 

Future Milestones: Continue monitoring and reporting on the progress of this initiative.

Results: In FY 2005, controller participation in workgroups, meetings and conferences 

was reduced by 23,400 hours, a reduction of 37 percent from the previous year. Direct 

labor cost in FY 2005 was a savings of almost one million dollars from the previous year.

3.3.8 Processing of Unsuccessful Developmentals

Over the past several years, executing the provisions of Federal Aviation Personnel Manual (FAPM) 

Letter 330-1, Employment Program for Developmental Air Traffic Control Specialists, which provides 

guidance for making employment and placement decisions about controllers who fail to progress to the 

Certified Professional Controller (CPC) level, has contributed to staffing imbalances within the system. 

It has been the FAA’s practice to place developmentals who have progressed up through some significant 

phases of en route training but did not achieve CPC in the terminal option at a facility level that might 

ensure their success. Currently, because of this practice, the terminal option is overstaffed relative to 

the staffing standards while en route remains below the staffing standards. While en route unsuccessful 

developmentals do not account for the entire staffing imbalance, they are a significant contributor to 

the problem. The FAA will be more selective and more strictly enforce the provisions of this policy and 

prohibit movement from the en route to terminal option when vacancies do not exist. 

During FY 2005, the FAA began development of a supplement employment policy for air traffic 

control specialist in training (EMP-1.14-ATS # 1). This new policy is currently undergoing 

internal review. EMP-1.14 has been designed to update, clarify and improve the implementation 

of the FAA’s Air Traffic Control Specialist in Training employment policy.

Initiative: Processing of Unsuccessful Developmentals

Status: EMP-1.14-ATS # 1 is currently in the final phase of the internal review process. 

Future Milestones: FY 2006 – Finalize and implement EMP-1.14.

Results: Developmental performance results to be determined in FY 2006.

3.3.9 Scheduling Tool

In FY 2005, the FAA began developing a request for proposal toward use of an advanced, computerbased, shift-scheduling tool that can accommodate part-time and split shifts to improve controller 

utilization. The goal is to develop shift-staffing schedules that match controller staffing to traffic 
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 25

workload demands. This will enable air traffic managers to determine cost-effective controller 

scheduling with much greater accuracy than is presently possible using manual methods. 

Initiative: Scheduling Tool

Status: A market survey for commercially available scheduling tools was completed in 

May 2005. A request for proposal was issued to three qualified sources in June 2005. A 

vendor was selected in April 2006. 

Future Milestones: A pilot evaluation began in May 2006 to determine utility and a business 

case to support acquisition and national deployment in FY 2007 and beyond.

3.3.10 Deployment of Cru-X/ATO Resource Tool (ART)

Cru-X/ART is a computer-based tool to record time and attendance, and labor distribution, for 

operational controllers and supervisors. Its implementation consisted of four phases. Phase 1 

implemented Cru-X in 27 terminal facilities in December 2004. Phase 2 implemented Cru-X 

at 40 additional terminal control facilities in January 2005. Phase 3 implemented Cru-X in the 

remaining terminal facilities by April 2005. Phase 4 implemented Cru-X in en route centers by 

the end of FY 2005. Cru-X provides information on controller time and activity distribution that, 

in turn, can be used to determine more efficient controller utilization.

Initiative: Deployment of Cru-X/ART

Status: Deployment of Cru-X/ART to all terminal and en route control facilities was completed.

Results: Air traffic managers have the ability to collect data for monitoring controller activity 

distributions, including time on position, sick leave, overtime, official time and workgroup 

participation. Cru-X also supports, in conjunction with other tools, matching controller 

staffing to traffic demand.

3.3.11 Changing National Airspace System Technologies

Since the mid 1990s, the FAA has fielded a number of modern communications, display and weather 

systems for controller use. The underlying automation system was updated to cope with Y2K concerns. 

Availability, reliability and maintainability of critical systems have been improved. More information, 

especially related to weather, is now available to aid in the controller’s decision-making process. 

The FAA has made good progress in deploying systems in FY 2005. Advanced Technologies 

and Oceanic Procedures (ATOP) for oceanic air traffic control, the User Request Evaluation 

Tool (URET), Traffic Management Advisor (TMA), and Airport Movement Area Safety System 

(AMASS)/Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE-X) continue to be installed in facilities 
26 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

throughout the national airspace system. En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM), the new 

automation system for en route, remains on schedule and within budget. As experience is gained 

with new automation, the FAA will adjust staffing practices accordingly. 

Initiative: Changing National Airspace System Technologies

Status: ATOP – In FY 2005, ATOP was fielded at both New York Center and Oakland Center,

with both sites using the system to control traffic at all oceanic sectors by October 2005. On 

March 15, 2006, Anchorage Center began operational use of ATOP on a limited basis.

ERAM – During FY 2005, the ERAM program implemented Enhanced Backup 

Surveillance (EBUS), replacing the existing Host backup system at the first three of 20 

en route centers, delivered the national baseline of En Route Information Display System 

(ERIDS) software to the three prototype sites, and completed system design and over one 

million lines of software for ERAM Release 1. Deployment was completed in April 2006.

URET – Prior to FY 2005, the FAA had completed placement of URET for daily use 

at ten of its 21 en route centers. In FY 2005, the FAA completed placement of URET 

at five more facilities.

TMA – TMA is operational at eight centers: Minneapolis, Denver, Los Angeles, Atlanta, 

Miami, Oakland, Houston and Chicago.

Future Milestones: ATOP – Anchorage Center is planned to expand operational use of ATOP 

in the spring of 2007.

ERAM – July 2006 – ERIDS is expected to achieve initial operational capability at Salt 

Lake City Center.

URET – September 2006 – URET operational at all 20 en route centers.

AMASS/ASDE-X – Three ASDE-X systems to achieve operational readiness 

demonstration (ORD) in FY 2006.

TMA – TMA will be operational at Boston, Albuquerque, Seattle and Memphis during 

calendar year 2006. TMA is planned to be operational at the last seven sites during 

calendar year 2007: Salt Lake City, Jacksonville, Leesburg, Cleveland, New York, 

Indianapolis and Kansas City.

Results: ATOP – Service efficiencies with associated cost savings to the users are being realized

at New York and Oakland Centers since full ATOP operations began. ATOP will allow 

the handling of increased oceanic traffic without additional staffing.

ERAM – ERIDS delivered two months ahead of schedule, operational results to be determined.

URET – URET became available to controllers at five additional centers. Controller 

efficiency improved when electronic flight data replaced manually handled paper flight strips.

AMASS/ASDE-X – Two ASDE-X systems successfully achieved the ORD in FY 2005.

TMA – 3 percent increase in airport peak capacity at the eight operational sites.
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 27

In December 2004 the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO), formed to define 

the future global air transportation system, published a description of the next generation 

air transportation system. In comparing today’s system with the system envisioned in 2025, 

several distinctions emerge that will increase controller efficiency. The future system will rely 

heavily on automation for routine tasks, and the role of pilots, controllers, flow managers and 

dispatchers will progress from routine tasks to managing exceptions and the unexpected. Human 

performance and efficiency enhancements will enable the same number of decision-makers to 

accommodate a larger number of operations. Automation aids will use intelligent agents and 

other computer decision support techniques to augment the role of decision-makers. In addition, 

air traffic management operational procedures will be tailored to aircraft system performance and 

less tied to geographical airspace differences.

3.3.12 Other Efficiencies

The FAA expects that new automation technologies and changes supported by the JPDO will result 

in a more automated system over time that will allow controllers to handle more traffic and may 

decrease the number of controllers the FAA plans to hire and train (see “2005 Progress Report To 

The Next Generation Air Transport System Integrated Plan”: http://www.jpdo.aero/site_content/

pdf/ngats-np_progress-report-2005.pdf). However, we do not yet have enough data to factor the 

technologies into our hiring and staffing targets.

Further, there are other initiatives that have not yet been developed which may also impact 

the number of controllers that the FAA plans to hire as outlined in this plan. These initiatives 

include facility consolidations and the expansion of the Contract Tower Program. The FAA has 

pursued these options in the past with mixed success. Even so, the FAA intends to study these 

options and work with its customers and owners if it finds that any or all of the options will 

significantly assist the FAA in meeting its future requirements and lowering its operating costs.

3.3.12.1 Facility Co-locations and Realignments

As the FAA examines modernization efforts at its smaller terminal sites, there may be 

opportunities for the FAA to uncouple certain tower/TRACON facilities and co-locate the 

terminal radar approach control positions into a larger TRACON facility where staffing can be 

flexibly employed and the system can operate more efficiently.

Co-locating several facilities of differing grade levels will allow employees to progress to higher 

grade levels without having to relocate. This has the dual benefit of providing employees better 

opportunities for career progression while dramatically decreasing the agency’s operating, 

maintenance, infrastructure and permanent change of station costs.

Other potential areas of air traffic control realignments include regional offices and en route air traffic 

control centers, and other functions, all of which will lower future operating costs and decrease overhead. 
28 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Initiative: Facility Co-locations and Realignments

Status: Terminal and en route facility co-location and realignment studies are in progress, 

including realignment of service area regional offices. 

Future Milestones: The realignment of service areas is anticipated for completion by 

year-end 2006.

3.3.12.2 Contract Tower Program

For over 20 years, the FAA’s Contract Tower Program has provided safe and efficient air traffic 

control services at towered airports throughout the continental United States as well as in Alaska, 

Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico and Saipan. The Contract Tower Program is a key component of our 

nation’s aviation system and provides important air traffic services to communities, businesses and 

travelers. Without the program, many communities would not be able to afford these services.

Initiative: Contract Tower Program

Status: During FY 2005, five new contract towers began providing air traffic services. The 

five new towers are located at Provo Municipal Airport, Utah; Olive Branch Airport, Miss.; 

Rogers Municipal Airport, Ark.; Front Range Airport, Colo.; and Scholes International 

Airport, Galveston, Texas. 

Future Milestones: Projected to be started in the second half of FY 2006 are six new towers. 

The locations are Double Eagle II Airport, N.M.; Cut and Shoot Airport, Texas; Arlington 

Municipal Airport, Texas; Georgetown Municipal Airport, Texas; Stennis International 

Airport, Miss.; and Leesburg Regional Airport, Fla.

Results: Provision of air traffic control services at five newly built towers.
Chapter 4

Air Traffic Controller Losses 
30 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Chapter 4: 

Air Traffic Controller Losses

This chapter presents the FAA’s estimate of the number of controllers who will be lost over the next 10 

years. There are several categories of controller loss. These include retirements, resignations, removals, 

deaths, internal transfers and Academy training failures. Total controller losses during FY 2005 were 

slightly higher than projected in the 2004 Plan. The number of controller retirements exceeded the 2004 

estimate while the number of internal promotions and transfers were lower than the 2004 estimate. As a 

result, the FAA refined its controller loss models by incorporating the actual FY 2005 controller loss data. 

The refined controller loss models were used to generate the controller loss estimate in this plan. 

4.1 Controller Loss Summary

Table 4.1 shows the total estimated number of controllers that will be lost, by loss category, over the 

period FY 2006–FY 2015.

Loss Category

Controller Losses

FY 2006 – FY 2015

Retirements 6,722

Resignations, Removals and Deaths 881

Academy Training Failures 593

Operational Supervisor Promotions & Other Internal Transfers 2,095

Total 10,291

4.2 Controller Retirements

Figure 4.1 shows the number of controllers who are currently retirement eligible (CE) as of 

September 2005 and those projected to become retirement eligible through FY 2015.

Table 4.1: Projected Controller Losses Number of Controllers

* currently eligible as of September 2005

Figure 4.1: Controller Retirement Eligibility

Fiscal Year

1,800

1,600

1,400

1,200

1,000

800

600

400

200

0

CE* 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

1,699

718

1,266

915

814

981 957 976

815 829

511
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 31

Controller retirement eligibility data and the FY 2005 controller retirement patterns were 

used to estimate future controller retirements. The large numbers of controllers who presently 

qualify to retire reveals the fact that not all controllers retire when they first become eligible. 

Figure 4.2 shows the FY 2005 controller retirement pattern used to generate current controller 

retirement estimates. Only 1.3 percent of the retirement-eligible controllers remain beyond 

their thirteenth year of retirement eligibility. This methodology has been refined since the 

first plan and should be more accurate in projecting actual retirements. The methodology was 

also updated to correct the treatment of mandatory retirements that resulted in overestimating 

retirements in later years.

Figure 4.3 shows actual and projected retirements for the period 2002 through 2015. Applying 

yearly retirement percentages from Figure 4.2 to the yearly retirement eligibility data yielded 

the projected controller retirements. Average Annual Percentage

Years Beyond Earliest Retirement Eligibility In Which Retirement Occurred

Figure 4.2: FY 2005 Controller Retirement Pattern

25.0%

20.0%

15.0%

10.0%

5.0%

0.0%

0–1 1–2 2–3 3–4 4–5 5–6 6–7 

23.4%

9.3% 9.8%

6.2%

9.9%

18.2%

10.3%

4.5%

2.0% 2.6%

1.1% 0.8% 0.6%

7–8 8–9 9–10 10–1111–1212–13
32 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Last year the FAA projected that 341 controllers would retire in FY 2005. The actual FY 2005 

retirement number was 465. The actual FY 2005 retirement pattern was used to update the 

controller retirement projection through FY 2015. 

4.3 Controller Losses Due To Resignations, Removals and Deaths

The estimated controller losses due to resignations, removals (including developmental failures) and 

deaths are shown in Figure 4.4. Number of Controllers

Fiscal Year

Figure 4.3: Controller Retirement Projections

850

750

650

550

450

350

250

150

50

2002 Actual

2003 Actual

2004 Actual2005 Actual

20062007

2008

200920102011

20122013

2014

2015

285

316

362

465 467

643 645 652 683

728

796

748

716

644

Controller Losses

Fiscal Year

Figure 4.4: Projected Controller Losses Due to Resignations, Removals and Deaths

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

86 85 84 85 86 88

89 91 93 94
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 33

4.4 Controller Losses Due To Promotions to OS and Other Transfers

This section presents our estimates of controller loss due to internal transfers to other positions and 

controller losses due to promotions to Operational Supervisor (OS).

Because virtually all OS hires come from controller staff, the filling of OS vacancies needs to be 

accounted for in determining the number of controllers lost. An estimate of the OS retirements was 

developed using the FY 2005 OS historical retirement trends. 

The estimated controller losses due to internal transfers and promotions to OS are shown in Table 4.2.

Fiscal Year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Promotions to OS 110 133 132 128 122 123 124 112 95 85

Other Transfers 90 90 89 90 91 93 94 96 98 100

Total 200 223 221 218 213 216 218 208 193 185

 

4.5 Academy Training Failures

Estimated loss figures from new hires who are not successful in the Academy training program 

are shown in Table 4.3.

Fiscal Year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Academy Training 

Failures 46 57 57 62 69 67 64 60 57 54

4.6 Total Controller Losses

Figure 4.5 shows the total estimated number of controllers that will be leaving the workforce 

over the period FY 2006 to FY 2015 due to retirements, resignations, removals, deaths, 

Academy training failures, internal transfers and OS promotions.

Table 4.2: Controller Losses Due to Promotions to Operational Supervisor and Other Transfers

Table 4.3: Academy Training Failures (New Hires)
34 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

The total controller loss through FY 2015 is estimated to be 10,291.

4.7 Controller Losses by Facility

With a lead-time of two to three years to certify a controller, projecting controller losses at the facility 

level is required to further facilitate planning. Applying the same methodology discussed in Section 

4.2, retirements were projected from FY 2006 through FY 2009 at the facility level. Estimates were 

also made for other losses. Total expected losses by facility are provided in Appendix A. Number of Controllers

Fiscal Year

Figure 4.5: Total Controller Losses

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

1,200

1,000

800

600

400

200

0

Retirements

OS Promotions/Transfers

Resignations/Removals/Deaths

Academy Failures

800

1,007 1,008 1,017 1,051 1,098 1,107

1,059

977

1,167

46

86

201

467

643 645 652 683

728

796 748 716

644

222 222 218 213

215

218

208

193

185

85 84 85 86

88

89

91

93

94

57 57 62 69

67

64

60

57

54
Chapter 5

Air Traffic Controller Hiring Plan 
36 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Chapter 5: 

Air Traffic Controller Hiring Plan

In developing this first update to the Controller Workforce Plan, the FAA relied on a number 

of key assumptions: 

• Training lead-time is three years for en route controllers and two years for

terminal controllers.

• Developmental to total controller ratio continued at an acceptable level.

• The FAA did not exceed Academy training capacity for the duration of the plan.

5.1 Controller Hiring Profile

The selected controller hiring profile is shown in Figure 5.1 along with the updated controller loss 

estimates. The total number of controllers projected to be hired through FY 2015 is 11,851.

The hiring profile exceeds the estimated losses through FY 2015 to provide training lead-time 

while maintaining an acceptable ratio of developmentals to total controllers. Thus, the projected 

actual on-board staffing will exceed the annual staffing targets because hiring is being done in 

advance of when the controllers will actually be needed to allow time for training and to keep the 

developmental ratio at a manageable level.

5.2 Actual On-Board (AOB) Staffing

Figure 3.1 compares the existing staffing standard projections with the annual staffing targets 

(assuming efficiency gains are realized) and the actual on-board for each fiscal year through FY 2015. 

Under this hiring plan, the AOB staffing remains below the staffing standard projection and begins 

to converge with the annual staffing target projections in FY 2015. Number of Controllers

Fiscal Year

Figure 5.1: Controller Hiring Profile

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

1,400

1,200

1,000

800

600

400

200

0

800

1,007

930

977

1,136

1,008

1,143

1,017

1,238

1,051

1,381

1,098

1,343

1,167

1,272

1,107

1,192

1,059

1,135

1,081

Estimated Losses

Planned Hires
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 37

The developmental to total controller ratio for terminal and en route controller groups achieved 

with this hiring plan is shown in Figure 5.2. For example, a ratio of 25 percent would mean an 

average of one developmental out of every four controllers. The ratios include not only the new 

hires but also internal transfers who are also in training. This plan maintains the developmental to 

total controller ratio at a manageable level.

5.3 Potential Adjustments to Controller Hiring Targets

In addition to the various initiatives and management reforms being considered, the controller 

hiring numbers may also be adjusted downward due to waivers of the mandatory Age 56 rule and 

the potential movement of qualified personnel from Flight Service to the controller ranks. These two 

ongoing activities are discussed in the following subsections.

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

35.00%

30.00%

25.00%

20.00%

15.00%

10.00%

En Route

Terminal

Developmental/Total Controller Ratio (%)

Fiscal Year

Figure 5.2: Developmental to Total Controller Ratio
38 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

5.3.1 Flight Service Station Personnel

As a result of last year’s A-76 Flight Service Station outcome, the FAA made offers to qualified 

personnel for controller positions. 

Initiative: Flight Service Station Personnel

Status: During FY 2005, 134 Flight Service Station Specialists were placed into terminal 

facilities under the Preferred Placement Program.

Future Milestones: 

• An additional 77 Flight Service Station Specialists have been identified for

placement during FY 2006.

• FSS hiring preference ends in FY 2007.

Results: Well qualified Flight Service Station Specialists with previous radar experience were 

able to transition into controller positions at terminal facilities. Due to their experience, 

many of these controllers did not require initial qualifications training at the FAA Academy. 

These factors aided in reducing the number of outside hires for FY 2005 and FY 2006.

5.3.2 Age 56 Rule

The FAA believes that waivers to the Age 56 rule may be of value for targeted locations where 

there may be a critical staffing shortage or where the ratio of developmental controllers to CPCs 

approaches a level where training could be severely impacted.

Initiative: Age 56 Rule

Status: Special Federal Aviation Regulations SR 103 was implemented in April 2005. SR 

103 provides authority to the FAA Administrator to grant waivers to the mandatory retirement 

age of 56 years for air traffic controllers. As of January 2006, 16 individual waiver requests had 

been submitted for consideration. The Administrator approved six of the waiver requests. 

Future Milestones: Provide timely consideration of waiver requests as they are received.

Results: Retained qualified controller staff at targeted locations.
Chapter 6

Air Traffic Controller Hiring Process 
40 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Chapter 6: 

Air Traffic Controller Hiring Process

6.1 Controller Hiring Sources

The FAA has three categories of controller hiring sources. 

Previous Controllers: These individuals have prior FAA or Department of Defense 

(DOD) (civilian or military) air traffic control experience.

Collegiate Training Initiative Program: These individuals have successfully completed an 

aviation-related program of study from a school under FAA’s collegiate training initiative 

(CTI) program.

General Public: These individuals may apply for vacancies announced by the FAA, 

or are already on a list of candidates from prior Office of Personnel Management 

(OPM) announcements. 

There are currently more than 3,700 applicants from numerous sources who have expressed an 

interest in becoming an air traffic controller. The specific hiring sources within each of these 

categories and the candidates identified to date are shown in Table 6.1.

Hiring Source

Current Number of 

Available Candidates*

Previous Controllers

Veterans Readjustment Appointment (VRA) 1,328

DOD civilian controllers 5

Retired military controllers (RMC) 210

Former Professional Air Traffic Control Organization (PATCO) controllers 588**

Reinstatements 24

Collegiate Training Initiative

Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative 1,260

OPM

Former applicants through the OPM process 22

Job Fairs (General Public)

Tests administered at five sites to date 355

TOTAL 3,792

Table 6.1: Hiring Sources

* Includes applicants waiting for their names to be issued to FAA Human Resource offices from the central inventories and those already 

under consideration in FAA Regions as of November 30, 2005.

** In FY 2005 a survey was sent to the 3,653 former PATCO controllers. 588 responded that they were still interested in a controller position.
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 41

6.2 Controller Hiring Strategies

The Agency plans to continue improving the hiring process to ensure its ability to hire at the 

magnitude required over the next decade. Detailed information about each strategy follows. 

6.2.1 Recruitment

The FAA will continue to engage in broad-based outreach and recruitment efforts. The FAA’s goal is to have 

the best qualified workforce. Expanding the applicant pool increases our chance of achieving that goal. 

The FAA will conduct some recruitment as necessary to reach its hiring goals. The FAA will also 

engage in targeted recruiting in communities served by hard-to-staff facilities. The FAA does not 

envision any problems finding qualified applicants from all sources to meet the increased need for 

controller personnel. In the unlikely event that an overall shortage of qualified candidates does 

develop, the FAA will recruit for applicants nationwide.

Finally, the FAA will be developing a single process so that candidates from different sources can 

apply on the Internet. 

Initiative: Recruitment

Status: During FY 2005 the FAA established a team to identify broad-based recruitment 

strategies for the controller workforce and prepare a proposal to implement these strategies. 

Development of the recruitment outreach proposal is ongoing. 

The FAA conducted five job fairs to meet the hiring needs of five hard-to-staff en route facilities 

(Oakland, Los Angeles, Albuquerque, Indianapolis and Kansas City en route centers).

Also in FY 2005, the FAA provided access for RMC candidates and VRA candidates to apply 

online for available positions. The Automated Staffing and Application Process (ASAP) 

provided instant certification of qualified candidates for employment. ASAP generates vacancy 

announcements and automatically posts them to the FAA jobs web site and allows online 

application submittal, screening and notification, eligibility list placement and referral for 

interviews.

Future Milestones: 

• Recruitment Outreach – Dependent upon outcome of the proposal decision process.

• June 2006 – The automated application process will be available to the general

public and air traffic controllers eligible for reinstatement.

Results: 

• Automated Application Process – improved application submittal process for VRA

and RMC candidates.

• 355 air traffic control candidates identified at the five job fairs.
42 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

6.2.2 Examine the Clearance Process

It is important to ensure that our hiring process will effectively handle the number of people to be 

hired in the coming years. The FAA examined that process to look for ways to make it more efficient, 

i.e., reducing the time needed to obtain medical clearances and background investigations. 

In FY 2003, the median time to hire new controllers was 151 days. The FAA relies on the Federal Bureau 

of Investigaion and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to perform background investigations for 

all potential controllers, and on the Office of Aviation Medicine’s Regional Flight Surgeons and Aviation 

Medical Examiners for medical clearances. The Agency relies on similar resources for drug screening for all 

potential controllers. In FY 2003, the median time required for completing the background investigation 

on controller candidates was 67 days, and the median time of the concurrent process to obtain medical 

clearances was 97 days. As a result, the FAA formed a team from the Air Traffic Organization, the Office of 

Aerospace Medicine, the Office of Security and Hazardous Materials and the Office of Human Resource 

Management to review each step of the clearance process. The team’s objective was to determine if a more 

efficient process would reduce the overall clearance time. The team completed its report in March 2005. 

Initiative: Examine the Clearance Process

Results: Completed implementation of the centralized hiring process for air traffic 

controllers under the Aviation Careers Division in Oklahoma City.

6.2.3 Track Applicants

A new controller applicant-tracking system has been developed. The Agency developed and 

implemented an effective, integrated system that provides an automated tracking tool for referral, 

selection, pre-hire activities and placement. This activity was completed in March 2006. 

Initiative: Track Applicants

Results: The applicant tracking computer program, a component of ASAP, was completed in 

March 2006.

6.2.4 Institute Even-Flow Hiring

In the past, the FAA’s strategy for replacing controllers has generally been to hire new 

controllers only when current, experienced controllers leave. Additionally, hiring was often 

delayed until the end of the fiscal year due to budget constraints. Because the FAA must now 

hire a large number of controllers, the agency cannot wait until the end of the fiscal year. Doing 

so would choke the hiring and training pipelines. One of the key strategies for improving the 

hiring process is to even out the flow of new hires. This will eliminate the existing issue of 

staffing requirements maximizing virtually overnight. These spikes are costly to the human 
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 43

resources organization and to the facilities. The even-flow hiring strategy will allow the FAA to 

systematically plan for human resource staffing and facility support requirements. 

The FAA will institute even-flow hiring in concert with even-flow training. Each summer, the FAA 

will identify the number of controllers to be hired in the coming fiscal year. These new hires will be 

spread out over the fiscal year with a target number of new hires set for each quarter. The human 

resources support staff, field managers and training staff will be provided with the targets to ensure 

that sufficient resources are available to hire and train the new hires.

Expected outcomes from even-flow hiring include the following:

• Maintain more effective and efficient use of resources.

• Eliminate choked hiring and training pipelines.

• Allow for annual and/or multi-year planning.

Initiative: Institute Even-Flow Hiring

Status: Hiring targets were used to drive the establishment of training class dates that 

commence every other week at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. All new hires who must 

attend the Academy are brought on board to coincide with class dates. By hiring in concert 

with the class schedules, we were able to maintain an even flow during FY 2005.

Results: Training bottlenecks are avoided at the Academy and air traffic control facilities.

6.2.5 Leverage and Expand Hiring Sources

The FAA planned to leverage the existing inventory of potential candidates in FY 2006 to meet 

the demand for new hires. These include applicants with previous military experience, CTI, 

OPM and former PATCO controllers. 

The FAA expects that the CTI schools will increase their enrollment in anticipation of increased 

controller hiring. The CTI schools will most likely become an even more important source of 

candidates between the years 2007 and 2015. The OPM list will be depleted by then, and it is 

unlikely that the FAA will be permitted to cause a critical draw-down of military controllers to meet 

the peak hiring needs in those years.

The CTI schools have several advantages. They produce candidates with college degrees and a broad 

knowledge of the aviation industry. These candidates have at least a basic level of training in air 

traffic control and have shown a sincere interest in the career field by the investment they have made 

in their own training. 

Depending on need, the agency will also supplement its hiring through vacancy announcements 

open to the general public in the FY 2007 to FY 2015 time period. The FAA will also examine the 

option of expanding the FAA Intern and Student Career Experience Programs to include the air 
44 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

traffic control occupation. The FAA will revisit the use of these sources in the coming years and 

modify this plan as appropriate.

Initiative: Leverage and Expand Hiring Sources

Status: We continue to maintain an inventory of air traffic control specialist applicants 

consisting of VRA, RMC, CTI students, PATCO and the general public. The FAA has 

actively recruited candidates through job fairs and the CTI program. To better match 

qualified candidates with available job vacancies, the VRA, RMC and PATCO inventories 

were updated to reflect the applicants’ geographic preferences for employment.

Future Milestones: Continue to expand hiring sources and the available pool of candidates.

Results: A sufficient pool of candidates is available to meet air traffic controller staffing 

needs for several years.

6.2.6 Build Central Inventory

In last year’s plan, the FAA envisioned that a central inventory system would be needed to have 

better control and tracking over the numbers of available general public candidates. Further analyses 

indicated that current procedures are adequate for maintaining the general public inventory, given 

that the general public candidate list is small.

Initiative: Build Central Inventory

Status: This initiative is no longer required. Current procedures are adequate for maintaining 

the general public inventory. This initiative will not be reported in future updates.

6.2.7 Fully Implement AT-SAT

The FAA planned to begin administering the AT-SAT examination to all potential candidates except 

those whose hiring program is based on prior air traffic experience. 

Initiative: Fully Implement AT-SAT

Status: Completed — AT-SAT is being administered to all candidates who lack prior 

air traffic control experience.

Results: Elimination of nine-week screen at the Academy. 
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 45

6.2.8 Evaluate the Effectiveness of the AT-SAT for Placement

The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (29 CFR 1607) require that the FAA 

evaluate the effectiveness of AT-SAT over the long term. The Civil Aerospace Medical Institute 

(CAMI) has launched a study to meet this requirement. As part of this, the FAA is studying the 

use of the AT-SAT examination to aid in placement of newly hired controllers. For example, 

the test might be used to determine whether individuals are better placed in the terminal or en 

route options or at facilities of higher or lower levels of complexity. This study will help the FAA 

determine if this examination might be used to predict more accurately a candidate’s success for 

the various levels of complexity across facilities. 

Initiative: Evaluate the Effectiveness of the AT-SAT for Placement

Status: During FY 2005, CAMI continued to work toward a validity study for tower 

controllers. Also during FY 2005, CAMI continued archiving AT-SAT data from newly hired 

terminal and en route controllers for eventual comparison to performance at the Academy and 

during on-the-job training (OJT).

Future Milestones: During FY 2006, CAMI will participate in awarding the contract for, and 

commencement of, the concurrent validity study for tower controllers. 

Chapter 7

Air Traffic Controller Training 
48 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Chapter 7: 

Air Traffic Controller Training

The FAA faces many training challenges to place the right number of controllers in the right facilities 

when we need them. Our ability to train the number of controllers required in this plan is dependent 

upon several factors, including even-flow hiring, reducing the time it takes to hire a controller and 

reducing the length of time it takes to train a controller. Currently, because of a long training time, 

we must hire en route controllers an average of three to five years in advance of when we need them. 

We believe that optimizing the controller training program, in order to reduce the time to CPC, is a 

key factor in responding to facility staffing needs in a timely manner. 

7.1 Initiatives to Improve Training

While the FAA currently has the capacity to train the number of controllers required in this plan, we 

continually look for ways to ensure that it is as effective and efficient as possible. The FAA has made 

significant improvements to the training process over the past 12 years. The Multi-Path Hiring and 

Training Model was designed to replace the old nine-week screen used during the strike recovery 

period. The Multi-Path Hiring and Training model is a more efficient and effective training program, 

with a pass rate currently estimated at 95 percent, compared to the 57 percent pass rate of the old 

nine-week screen. The significant increase in the forecasted pass rate of 95 percent is due in part to 

the AT-SAT testing that replaces the old nine-week screen. 

Although the FAA has implemented increasingly effective methods of screening and training 

controllers, more remains to be done. The facility training process is the longest part of controller 

training. Therefore, facility training is where the greatest gains in efficiency can be made. Several of 

the initiatives described in this section work toward the goal of decreasing the time it takes to reach 

the CPC level while still providing the highest quality training possible. 

The FAA plans to meet its goal to reduce the average time to CPC from three to five years to two 

to three years. Preliminary FAA data indicate that developmentals completing training in FY 2005 

took an average of 2.99 years to reach full certification in an en route facility. To date, in FY 2006, 

developmentals completing training have taken an average of 2.76 years. This lower average reflects 

improvements made in initial qualification training at the FAA Academy and efficiencies gained 

during on-the-job training (OJT). 

Additional initiatives described in this section are targeted to developing more effective and 

efficient training methods. 

7.1.1 Establish National OJT Data Tracking System 

The first step in making efficiency gains is a thorough understanding of where the system is 

currently inefficient. At this time, detailed OJT data are maintained at the facility level. The 

FAA is taking steps to collect, maintain and analyze these data at a national level. 

An effort is underway to take a snapshot of the current training process and examine relationships 

between facilities and regions. National baseline data will provide statistics for the time it takes a 

controller to certify, delays in the on-the-job training process, where and when training failures 

occur, differences between hiring sources and differences between regions and facilities.
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 49

This study will provide the foundation for ongoing tracking of the OJT process. These statistics will 

help us understand how well the OJT process is performing and determine its cost. We expect to 

identify specific areas where efficiencies can be gained, while ensuring that developmental controllers 

have the requisite skills and seasoning before becoming certified. 

The expected impacts of this initiative are:

• Allows analysis of OJT performance at a national level.

• Provides data to identify where efficiencies can be gained.

• Identifies areas where the process is broken and where it is currently efficient.

Initiative: National OJT Data Tracking System

Status: Implementation of the National OJT Data Tracking System was completed in 

January 2006.

The data for the OJT snapshot study was collected from all en route facilities in December 

2005. Data analysis was completed in March 2006 and statistics were produced for the time 

it takes a controller to certify, delays in the on-the-job training process, where and when 

training failures occur, differences between hiring sources and differences between facilities. 

Recommendations based on best practices were made in April 2006, with plans to begin 

implementation of those practices in May 2006.

7.1.2 Expand Simulation 

The FAA, the military and the aviation community have been using simulation to aid in the development 

of pilots and air traffic controllers for years. As technology improves, the FAA looks for ways to leverage 

these improvements and increase the fidelity of simulation. Currently, the use of simulation is woven 

throughout both initial qualifications training at the Academy and training at field facilities. This section 

summarizes the FAA’s plan for expansion at both the Academy and in the facilities. 

The expected impacts of this initiative are:

• Completes the upgrade of Academy simulation systems to allow for more effective and

realistic training.

• Expands use of simulation in the field to reduce time to CPC and provide for an efficient

use of resources.

• Reduces ground and airborne delays by allowing development, testing and training on

new procedures through simulation.

• Is expected to reduce runway incursions, as evidenced by U.S. Air Force simulation program.
50 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

7.1.2.1 FAA Academy Simulation 

Terminal Simulation (Tower Cab) 

In November 2004, we completed installation of four new tower simulators at the Academy. These 

simulators doubled the training capacity from the previous simulation technology. These simulators 

provide a realistic tower environment in which to teach new controllers. These high-fidelity 

simulators, combined with existing medium-fidelity simulation and practitioner instruction, are 

expected to produce a developmental controller better prepared to begin training in the facility. The 

need for additional high-fidelity simulators at the Academy to offload a portion of field facility sitespecific training will be researched. This project has requested funding through FY 2007.

Initiative: FAA Academy Simulation – Terminal

Status: The planned upgrade to the Academy terminal simulation capability was completed 

during FY 2005. 

Results: Increased terminal training capacity with improved fidelity of the operational 

environment. 

En Route Simulation

The installation of an Initial Academy Training System (IATS) lab was completed in March 2005. 

This 20-sector Display System Replacement (DSR) lab is state-of-the-art, reflecting the current 

technology in the field as well as possessing unique training characteristics. The commissioning 

of the DSR lab coincided with a completely new airspace and procedures for the en route option. 

The new DSR lab and airspace was ready for students in September 2005. We expect that this 

significant change to en route initial qualification training will increase student performance and 

will contribute to a reduced time to CPC. Future simulation initiatives include the acquisition 

and implementation of User Request Evaluation Tool (URET) at the Academy. Academy training 

capabilities and solutions are being examined to determine the feasibility of including centralized 

Radar Associate training and/or Site Specific Training at the Academy.

Initiative: FAA Academy Simulation – En Route

Status: The planned upgrade to the Academy en route simulation capability was completed 

during FY 2005. Also in FY 2005, URET was approved for implementation at the Academy 

to expand en route simulation capability. URET installation at the Academy was completed 

in April 2006.

Results: Increased operational fidelity in the en route training environment. 
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 51

7.1.2.2 Facility Simulation

Reducing the time required to attain CPC and achieving increasing levels of certification 

will reduce training costs as well as provide for other benefits such as increased flexibility in 

scheduling, more rapid response to facility staffing needs and reduced stress on training resources, 

such as OJT instructors. The enhanced process and inherent simulation capabilities also provide 

for more standardized instruction, unbiased assessment of performance, mitigation of weaknesses 

and useful remedial and proficiency training. 

Terminal Simulation (Tower Cab) 

The FAA has initiated an effort to expand the use of tower simulators to field facilities. This effort 

is unprecedented in the FAA but has been proven to reduce training time and increase safety in the 

Air Force. The FY 2006 appropriations bill includes $5 million for the procurement of simulators 

in the facilities and equipment (F&E) account. The FAA is identifying airports and developing an 

implementation plan in anticipation of additional funding. 

Initiative: Terminal Facility Simulation

Status: Terminal Simulation (Tower Cab) – Chicago O’Hare, Ontario and Miami 

installations have been completed.

Future Milestones: October 2006 – Complete initial evaluation of the three simulators. If results 

are positive, recommend procurement of seven tower simulators for initiation in FY 2007.

Voice Recognition/Response Technology (Terminal/En Route)

The FAA has initiated an effort to expand the use of Voice Recognition and Response Technology 

(VRR) into terminal and en route field simulation capabilities. This effort is unprecedented in the 

FAA’s field facilities and is expected to reduce training resources, training time and training costs 

associated with facility certification training. The FY 2006 appropriations bill includes $5 million for 

the procurement of simulators in the F&E account. 

Initiative: Voice Recognition/Response Technology (VRR)

Status: VRR integration into STARS ATCoach Terminal Simulator

 – Boston Consolidated TRACON (A90) Installation complete

 – Completed product installation

 – Began evaluation period

Future Milestones: September 2006 – Complete initial evaluation. If results are positive, 

recommend procurement for future integration into fielded STARS terminal and en route 

simulation systems.
52 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

En Route Facility Simulation

Facility training for en route controllers is the longest portion of any air traffic training program. The 

average length of time to reach full certification for an en route controller is over three years and can 

vary up to five years or more depending upon many variables, including:

• Facility complexity

• Staffing requirements and instructor availability

• Using qualified developmentals for staffing rather than training

• Scheduling of classes in order to have a core number of students

• Traffic level and complexity to get effective and quality OJT time

• Developmental aptitude and motivation

• Seasoning time 

Research indicates that increased use of high-fidelity simulation has the potential to reduce training 

time. The FAA is exploring the use of high-fidelity simulation in en route facilities as a key strategy 

to reduce training time. This strategy includes a long-term solution and an interim proposal.

The long-term solution to high-fidelity simulation capability is included within the En Route 

Automation Modernization (ERAM) program. ERAM is scheduled for deployment in 2008 and will 

replace the current host computer system software/hardware, Direct Access Radar Channel (DARC) 

software/hardware and other associated interfaces, communications and support infrastructure. 

ERAM also includes an enhanced, combined test and training system, or simulator, which replicates 

ERAM and operates independent of the live operational system. Upon ERAM completion, every 

en route facility will have state-of-the-art training capability on full-fidelity simulators. This training 

system will allow scenario generation from actual radar data. The enhanced training capability 

provided by ERAM will make significant contributions to reduced training time. 

While ERAM provides a long-term solution for high-fidelity simulation in the en route 

environment, the FAA believes interim steps are needed to ensure adequate resources to train the 

number of controllers required in this plan. The FAA is researching viable methods to meet this 

need. Examples of interim solutions include:

• Acquisition and deployment of the Initial Academy Training System (IATS) for field use

• Early deployment of the ERAM Test and Training system

While high-fidelity simulation is important to this plan, it is only one tool in the delivery of 

meaningful and effective training. The success of any simulation solution will be dependent upon 

concurrent development and validation of training concepts and policies. The FAA is committed to 

sound instructional practices that take full advantage of available technology. 
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 53

Initiative: En Route Facility Simulation

Status: 

• A bottleneck was identified in the quantity of simulation workstations available to train

newly hired developmentals in nine en route centers.

• A business case was developed to justify the development of an interim en route

simulation system to mitigate the bottleneck. The business case verified that an

interim solution was investment worthy.

• Several possible solutions to this problem were explored, and a decision on the best 

course of action was reached in March 2006. After that, complete evaluation of the

Initial Academy Training System (IATS) for field use was also achieved.

• Evaluation of the ERAM Test and Training system was completed in April 2006.

Future Milestones:

• June 2006 – Interim solution strategy finalized.

• 2008 – Scheduled deployment of ERAM that includes high-fidelity training simulation.

7.1.3 Convert Air Traffic Academics to Web-Based Delivery

Only newly hired controllers without any previous experience or specialized education are 

required to attend the first five weeks of Initial Qualification training at the FAA Academy. The 

first five weeks of Academy training, called Air Traffic Academics, provides the fundamental 

aeronautical knowledge essential to both en route and terminal controllers. 

It has been determined that most of this course could be redeveloped for web-based delivery. The 

portions of the course inappropriate for web-based delivery (teamwork scenarios, etc.) would be 

incorporated into the resident part-task training and skills building courses. 

The Air Traffic Academics course consists of 200 classroom hours and covers a wide variety of topics 

and objectives. This course is the equivalent of six college courses. It is envisioned that a blended 

approach to methods and media would provide the student not only the same curriculum, but in 

an interesting and challenging manner. Methods and media may include online, computer-based 

instruction, video streaming, correspondence courses and others. 

The expected impacts of this initiative are:

• Eliminates salary and per diem costs for five weeks of training at the Academy.

• Improves student preparedness even when they are eligible to bypass academics.

• Provides an objective measure of student knowledge prior to reporting to the Academy.
54 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Initiative: Web-Based Air Traffic Academics

Status: Approximately 200 hours of classroom training is being converted to web delivery. 

Conversion consists of storyboard development, audio recording and web programming. 

Storyboards were completed in March 2006 with a complete review by May 2006.

Future Milestones:

• July 2006 – Complete audio

• September 2006 – Complete programming

7.1.4 Redesign Academy Airspace for En Route

A key component to optimizing the time to CPC is providing field facilities with high-quality 

developmentals prepared to begin training. The ability to provide high-fidelity, realistic training at the 

FAA Academy is critical to this goal. The Initial Qualification Training program at the Academy has 

undergone significant changes in the past 12 years in terms of both curriculum and simulation. Another 

major change completed in FY 2005 is the conversion of the airspace used to train en route controllers. 

The expected impacts of this initiative are:

• Updates old Aero Center to reflect current airspace.

• Replicates actual airspace to allow for more realistic training.

• Potentially raises the performance level of students at the end of training.

Initiative: Academy En Route Airspace

Status: Completed

Results: High-fidelity operational-like airspace validated and in use for en route training 

at the Academy. 

7.1.5 Evaluate and Redesign Facility Training Program

A seamless training program from start to finish is vital to reducing controller training time. It is important to 

ensure that training curriculum and objectives flow smoothly from initial qualification training at the Academy 

to certification training at the facility. It is also important that facility training programs be designed to take full 

advantage of the skills and abilities attained by developmental controllers at the FAA Academy.

Considering the magnitude of changes to the Initial Qualification Training program, facility training has 

changed little. Facility managers have the latitude to modify portions of the field training programs to meet 

local needs, but more can be done. The FAA will conduct a thorough review of facility training to ensure that 

it begins where the Academy ends. This review will take into consideration other efficiency gains identified in 

this plan and will result in facility training programs tailored to meet the needs of developmental controllers 

of the future. This effort will contribute to the Agency’s goal to reduce the time to CPC.
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 55

In addition to linking Academy training and facility training, it is equally important to ensure that the 

OJT process itself is designed to maximize efficiency and to take advantage of the most effective teaching 

methods possible. The evaluation of the facility training programs will also explore whether or not the 

OJT process could be better structured to take advantage of current research regarding training in highly 

complex, risky technology environments such as a control room. The expected impacts of this initiative are:

• Eliminates overlap between Academy training and facility training.

• Recognizes the higher performance level of Academy students.

• Streamlines OJT process to take advantage of existing research and emerging technologies.

Initiative: Facility Training Program

Status: While the facility training program analysis is still underway, the following actions 

have been taken to help make progress in the near term.

• A training overlap was identified in July 2005 between Academy and En Route 

Training Stage II. A national training waiver was completed to eliminate the overlap.

This resulted in saving three weeks of facility training time.

• Different methods of controller training delivery are being explored. If these

methods are proven successful, we hope to shorten the length as well as increase the

quality of controller qualification training. These methods include:

 1) “Functional Training”– a training waiver has been issued to the en route 

service area. Three en route facilities (Chicago, Houston and New York) are 

preparing training staff and supervisory personnel to administer 

developmental training utilizing the functional training method. 

Implementation of the functional training method will begin in July 2006. 

 2) Evaluation of the MITRE simulator started in December 2005 and will

continue through December 2006. Evaluation will include both equipment

and training concepts.

• The snapshot of training data from FY 2005 will be used to develop Stage training

goals in each en route facility, supporting the effort to reduce time to achieve CPC status.

• Changes were implemented as a result of baseline review and places were identified where

the training process could be streamlined regardless of Academy training in March 2006.

Future Milestones:

• June 2006 – Begin field trial of MITRE simulator.

• July 2006 – Coordinate effort with Academy Airspace Redesign team to anticipate

and prepare for student performance improvement.

• July 2006 – Begin implementation of the functional training method at three en route centers.

• December 2006 – Evaluate first course conduct data from Airspace Redesign and

adjust facility training plan as required.
56 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

7.1.6 Implement Academy Instructor Recruitment and Retention Plan

The FAA must ensure that the Academy retains a highly skilled cadre of instructors from 

among the current controller workforce. Controllers selected for instructor positions are 

provided training in basic instructional techniques and are placed in an intern program that 

will ultimately qualify them to become air traffic instructors. These instructors bring current 

experience into the training environment and ensure that students are exposed to current 

operational practices and procedures. This is a key factor in reducing controller training time. 

The expected impacts of this initiative are:

• Increases number and quality of controller applicants for instructor positions.

• Ensures effectiveness of initial qualification training program.

Initiative: Academy Instructor Recruitment and Retention

Status: A proposal to implement an Academy instructor recruitment and retention plan has 

been received and is currently under review.

Future Milestones: Final decision on proposal will be made by the end of FY 2006.

7.1.7 Leverage Training Sources

The FAA will ensure that it makes the most effective use possible of its existing partners 

who provide air traffic control training programs. To further enhance its ability to train 

the necessary volume of air traffic controllers, the agency will expand its use of contractor 

instructors at the Academy and in the field. 

The FAA already partners with the academic community to leverage undergraduate education 

in the field of aviation. Individuals who complete collegiate requirements under the Air Traffic 

Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) bypass the first five weeks of initial training required for 

controllers. The Agency currently has agreements with 13 schools for the AT-CTI program.

The FAA has established two contracts to support training new hires, reducing the number of 

on-board air traffic controllers who must be pulled from operations to serve as instructors. 

• The University of Oklahoma (OU) provides support to the FAA Academy for

instructional services, curriculum development and revision, and distance learning 

support and maintenance.

• A commercial contractor provides support to field facilities for classroom and simulation

instructional services and administrative support for record maintenance and reporting.
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 57

The FAA expects to increase the number of contract instructors over the next 10 years to meet 

the increased demand. This should work to the FAA’s advantage as well as provide recently retired 

controllers with a bridge to full retirement.

This initiative requires no new funding. Leveraging training sources allows all contributors to the training 

pipeline to be prepared to address the requirements to hire and train the controllers required in this plan. 

The expected impacts of this initiative are:

• Reduces the drain on internal resources as trainers.

• Reduces the cost of delivering training.

Initiative: Training Sources

Status: Completed. The purpose of this initiative was to communicate the goals and initiatives 

in the Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan to training support providers and stakeholders. 

The plan was provided to major training support providers, including OU and AT-CTI colleges. 

Communication is ongoing about the status of hiring and training issues.

Results: Leveraging our training resources through clear communication of the FAA’s hiring 

and training goals enabled our key training providers and stakeholders to prepare for the 

increased workload:

• OU increased instructor recruiting and hiring to meet the training demands at the

Academy. The FY 2006 production schedule for instructional support at the FAA 

Academy requires over 100 contract instructors during certain months of the year to 

accommodate the student workload.

• The commercial contractor also increased instructor recruiting and hiring to keep

pace with increased demands for facility training. 

• In general, AT-CTI colleges report that enrollment in air traffic curricula is

increasing. Many colleges report that they are taking steps to increase capacity in

their AT-CTI programs to keep pace with the demand reported by the FAA.

7.2 The Training Plan

This plan assumes that the strategies outlined above are effectively implemented and have the 

anticipated impacts in the expected year. Any savings resulting from future actions as well as any 

changes to training content will be taken into consideration as this plan is reviewed and updated.

7.2.1 FAA Academy Training 

Training the number of controllers required in the next decade will require close coordination 

among hiring sources, the Academy, the air traffic facilities and the contractors who support the 

controller training program.
58 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Table 7.1 lists the training capacity of the FAA Academy per fiscal year. There is no change in the 

Academy training capacity from last year.

Option Total Capacity

Terminal 840

En Route 1,240

The current number of instructors and support personnel at the FAA Academy is 83, with an annual 

total adjusted salary of $8.19 million. Table 7.2 describes the current number of instructors and 

support personnel at the FAA Academy. 

Organization Management

Supervision

Office

Administrator

Support

(ISS/ISD*, Training Specs, 

Training Techs, Editor 

Specs, Computer Techs)

2152 Series

(Instructors, 

Developers, SMEs†)

Division Management 2 2 2

Initial Qualifications Branch

(AMA-510) 1

En Route Section

(AMA-511) 1 1 2 11

Terminal Radar Section

(AMA-512) 1 0 5

Tower Section

(AMA-513) 1 2 10

Air Traffic Staff

(AMA-514) 1 2 5

Specialized Training Branch

(AMA-520) 1

Staff Training Section

(AMA-521) 1 6

Technical Training Section

(AMA-522) 1 1 8

Systems Support Branch

(AMA-530) 1 1 9 5

Total 11 4 18 50

Table 7.1: Academy Training Capacity

Table 7.2: Current Academy Staffing

* Instructional System Specialist / Instructional System Design

† Subject Matter Experts
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 59

The FAA Academy staff is supplemented by an Air Traffic Instructional Services contract. This 

contract provides support for classroom instructional services, curriculum development and revision, 

and distance learning support and maintenance. The flexibility of this contract allows the Academy 

to maintain a core number of FAA instructors and supplement them with contractor personnel as 

training requirements change. 

Table 7.3 details the number of FAA instructors and contract instructors required to train the 

planned number of students attending the FAA Academy.

Fiscal Year FY 06 FY 07 FY 08 FY 09 FY 10 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15

Total FAA Instructors 26 26 26 28 32 34 34 34 34 34

Total Contract 

Instructors 91 77 86 86 90 85 77 69 61 55

Total Instructors 117 103 112 114 122 119 111 103 95 89

Student Input Total 849 912 976 1,010 1,144 1,116 1,060 1,002 946 899

Differences between current Academy staff versus required staff will be corrected by the use of 

contract instructors. It is desirable to have a core FAA staff to ensure field currency and promote 

the concept of a “practitioner” delivered training program. The en route training course is 53 

training days and the terminal training course is 37 training days. The number of instructors 

required per training class is dependent upon the phase of training. For example, during en 

route academic training there will be three instructors, increasing to 19 instructors during highfidelity radar associate training for a class size of 18 trainees. For terminal academic training the 

number of instructors would be two, increasing to 17 for high-fidelity tower simulator training 

for a class size of 16 trainees.

Table 7.4 details the Academy contract costs for the 2005 controller-hiring plan.

Fiscal Year FY 06 FY 07 FY 08 FY 09 FY 10 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15

Total Hiring 930 1,136 1,143 1,238 1,381 1,343 1,272 1,192 1,135 1,081

Number of Hires to 

Attend Academy Training 849 912 976 1,010 1,144 1,116 1,060 1,002 946 899

Total Academy Cost

($ in Millions) $8.8 $8.3 $9.6 $10.0 $11.9 $12.1 $11.9 $11.7 $11.3 $11.0

A review of existing FAA Academy training facilities and equipment did not uncover any significant 

need for additional facilities or equipment to meet the upcoming demand for training.

Table 7.3: Academy Instructor Training Resources Required by Fiscal Year

Table 7.4: Academy Contract Costs for Hiring Plan
60 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

7.2.2 Facility Training 

The majority of facility training is OJT that is conducted by fully certified controllers. If the facility 

training programs receive new controllers in an even-flow manner, facilities do not require additional 

resources to conduct OJT. 

Currently 54 air traffic facilities utilize contract support to deliver the classroom and simulation 

portion of facility training. The FAA has an Air Traffic Instructional Services contract in place 

to support the classroom/simulation training needs of all en route facilities and many large 

terminals. This contract is extremely cost-effective when its hourly rate is compared to CPC pay. 

Table 7.5 details the resources required to support the number of new hires required for the next 

several years. This table reflects the current level of support with expected annual increases. It 

does not reflect any efficiency gained through the implementation of this plan.

Fiscal Year FY 06 FY 07 FY 08 FY 09 FY 10 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15

Total Requirement

($ in Millions) $34.9 $43.6 $49.8 $48.2 $51.3 $52.8 $51.2 $49.1 $47.1 $45.4

Projected developmental training costs begin to decrease after FY 2011 as the number of new 

hires decreases over the FY 2012 to FY 2015 time period.

The FAA will continue to look for ways to improve the training process and will adjust this 

training plan accordingly.

Table 7.5: Projected Developmental Training Costs
Chapter 8

Air Traffic Controller Workforce

Funding Status 
62 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

The cost of pay and benefits has been growing by over 4 percent per year, primarily due to pay 

increases and the increased cost of benefits, particularly healthcare. Controller pay and benefits 

grew by 75 percent between 1998 and 2005. With approximately 75 percent of the operations 

budget going to payroll and benefits, controlling this increase is critical to the long-term 

sustainability of operations. 

Non-payroll costs have also grown significantly over the last decade as new systems capabilities 

have come online. The current capital investment portfolio has the potential to continue driving 

up operating costs over the short term as new functionality to improve system safety and efficiency 

is implemented in the field. However, productivity and capacity gains are being made with the 

implementation of new automation.

This situation presents the FAA with a series of significant challenges to control its costs in order to 

sustain the hiring necessary to meet the controller workforce plan over the long term.

8.1 Funding Status

To be able to sustain the hiring necessary to meet the plan over the long term, the FAA is 

aggressively managing its costs. We believe it will be challenging to sustain the long term 

hiring required to meet the plan. The ATO has been covering funding shortfalls for the last 

several years, mainly by reducing staffing through attrition. This is not a strategy that can be 

sustained permanently.

In FY 2005, attrition of about 800 non-safety ATO employees was necessary to free up 

enough payroll funding to cover the cost of the unfunded portion of the pay raise approved by 

Congress and pay for a significant portion of needed hiring. This allowed the ATO to hire 438 

controllers, versus a target of 435. 

8.2 Cost Savings

Several of the initiatives that the FAA is undertaking are expected to result in a cost savings to help 

fund part of this hiring plan. A brief status is provided on each initiative. In future updates, we will 

not be reporting on those initiatives that are not directly related to the controller workforce plan. 

Those items are addressed in the Flight Plan and Business Unit Plans. The subsections below discuss 

the initiatives and provide an estimate of the cost savings.

8.2.1 Converting Air Traffic Academics to Web-Based Delivery

The FAA estimates 30 percent of the total projected new hires will attend the Air Traffic Academic course 

(Level I). This course is an introductory course for new trainees who are not graduates of CTI programs 

or former military controllers. It is currently provided in a classroom setting. By converting the Air 

Traffic Academic course to a web-based delivery, we believe we can save up to $20 million in travel and 

per diem costs over the next 10 years. Our goal is to develop the web-based program by FY 2007.

Chapter 8: 

Air Traffic Controller Workforce Funding Status
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 63

Initiative: Web-Based Air Traffic Academics

Status: See section 7.1.3.

8.2.2 Reduce FAA Cost of Initial Air Traffic Controller Training at Academy

The hiring plan indicates that the FAA will be recruiting and training large numbers of candidates 

at the Academy in Oklahoma City, potentially resulting in substantial increases in training costs. 

Previously, the FAA paid all expenses for new trainee air traffic controllers attending the Academy 

for the initial qualifications training (Levels I, II and III). This included a full salary, daily per 

diem, travel costs, and all costs associated with classroom instruction. The FAA changed the way 

these trainees are appointed and compensated while at the Academy. The travel and compensation 

restructuring reduced the average cost per trainee by $20,000. The FAA will realize substantial 

savings over the term of this plan. Given the long-term salary and career benefits of the air traffic 

control profession, the FAA does not believe this change will impact its ability to select candidates 

from a diverse pool of highly qualified applicants. Since implementation of the policy on March 25, 

2005, we have not seen any adverse impact on our ability to attract candidates. However, we will 

continue to monitor changes in our applicant flow and adjust our recruitment efforts if necessary.

Initiative: Reduce FAA Cost of Initial Air Traffic Controller Training at Academy

Status: Completed. A new type of temporary trainee position was created in order to provide the 

appropriate level of compensation and benefits to new trainees attending the Academy. Trainees 

who are successful will be converted to permanent positions and assigned to FAA facilities.

Results: Cost savings of $20,000 per trainee.

8.2.3 Reclassification of Air Traffic Control Facilities

The current classifications of some of our air traffic control facilities are outdated because traffic 

patterns have changed. As of May 2006, the FAA has evaluated 85 terminal facilities in an effort to 

determine whether today’s traffic counts are consistent with the currect facility classification level. 
64 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Initiative: Reclassification of Air Traffic Control Facilities

Status: As of May 2006, 85 terminal facilities were evaluated for reclassification based on 

traffic counts and other factors.

Future Milestones: The FAA plans to continue evaluation of additional terminal air traffic 

control facilities through the remainder of FY 2006 for those facilities deemed to warrant a 

reclassification evaluation.

Results: Six facilities were reclassified to a higher level, 56 facilities were reclassified to a lower 

level, 12 facilities have reclassifications pending and 11 facilities had no change in classification.

8.2.4 Air Traffic Control Facility Hours of Operation

Terminal air traffic control facilities with low or no mid-shift activity (12 p.m. to 5 a.m.) are being 

reviewed for possible reduction in hours of operation. The FAA is identifying control towers at which 

the mid-shift activity levels may not support the need to staff the towers at those times. Any flight 

activity that does occur during a period where the tower is unmanned is handled by the appropriate 

en route center or TRACON.

Initiative: Air Traffic Control Facility Hours of Operation

Status: This initiative is currently under consideration.

8.2.5 Non-Air Traffic Control Savings

Two other cost-savings initiatives were discussed in the first report that are not directly related to air 

traffic controller staffing:

• Decommissioning navigation aids

• Office consolidation

These initiatives will be tracked in other FAA strategic plans. 
Chapter 9

Key Assumptions 
66 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Chapter 9: 

Key Assumptions

This chapter presents the key assumptions that underlie the controller hiring plan. 

9.1 Reduce Facility Training Time to Achieve CPC – Two Years for 

Terminal Controllers and Three Years for En Route Controllers

To reduce the on-the-job portion of facility training, developmentals need continuous, uninterrupted 

access to facility training opportunities and resources. However, management practices within the 

operational environment can have a detrimental effect on these opportunities and may greatly extend 

this time-to-certification. These practices include, but are not limited to, canceling or delaying OJT 

to use developmentals to work positions they were previously certified on, as staffing backup behind 

spot leave, annual leave, work group assignments and a variety of other activities that remove CPCs 

from the operational environment. 

9.2 Controller Hiring Models

The controller hiring model takes into account the controller staffing targets along with the training 

lead time for en route and terminal controllers, the Academy training capacity in terms of class size, 

the numbers of terminal and en route controllers who can be trained and even-flow hiring. To have 

the most efficient Academy training program possible, the following was assumed for each of the 

elements described below:

• Optimal Split: The Academy can train a maximum of 1,240 students for the en route

option per year and a maximum of 840 students for the terminal option per year. 

• Even Flow Hiring: The model assumes even flow hiring as to not exceed class capacity or

violate the 35 percent developmental to total controller ratio. 

9.3 AT-SAT Performance

The plan assumes that the AT-SAT pass rate of 67 percent will continue in the future and that ATSAT will be upward compatible with later versions of Windows. 

9.4 Clearance Process Capacity

The plan assumes that the clearance process has sufficient capacity to handle the number of 

applicants dictated by the controller hiring plan, resulting in applicants being cleared in time to be 

hired on an even-flow basis.

9.5 AT-SAT Testing Success

The training program contained in the plan is predicated on the availability and success of AT-SAT testing. 

9.6 Recruitment and Retention of Academy Qualified Instructors

The plan assumes that there will be sufficient qualified instructors at the Academy to handle the large 

numbers of terminal and en route controllers over the next 10 years. 
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 67

9.7 Adequate Staffing of Facilities

If the FAA is not able to adequately staff its air traffic control facilities, the system response will be 

observed in the area of system capacity – not system safety. Managers and supervisors are responsible 

for maintaining safety first and system efficiency second. Therefore, inadequate staffing levels will 

result in air traffic control system delays and delays in training.

9.8 Traffic Workload Forecast

The air traffic staffing standards projections are based on traffic workload forecasts. The FAA publishes 

these forecasts annually around March. Controller hiring numbers will be adjusted if traffic grows faster 

(or slower) than the traffic forecast of March 2006 that was used as the basis for this plan. 

Appendix A

Projected Controller Losses 

By Facility: FY 2006–FY 2009 
70 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Appendix A 

Projected Controller Losses By Facility: FY 06-FY 09

Appendix A presents the projected controller loss for en route and terminal air traffic control facilities 

for the period FY 2006 to FY 2009. These projected losses do not include losses due to Academy 

training failures since they are not assigned to a facility. Due to rounding, the facility level projections 

may not equal exactly the controller loss figures portrayed in Figure 4.5. These projections are based 

on facility demographics and historical data. Consequently, the data are subject to change.

En Route Facility Controller Loss Projections

Air Route Traffic Control Centers Controller Loss Estimate

Facility Name FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009

Albuquerque, N.M. 11 13 15 17

Anchorage, Alaska 4 6 7 8

Boston-Nashua, N.H. 14 19 17 19

Chicago, Ill. 19 25 23 25

Cleveland, Ohio 18 28 23 27

Denver, Colo. 13 17 17 18

Fort Worth, Texas 17 20 23 23

Guam CERAP 1 1 1 1

Hampton, Ga. 21 25 23 25

Hilliard, Fla. 14 16 16 19

Houston, Texas 16 19 21 22

Indianapolis, Ind. 14 19 18 19

Los Angeles (Palmdale), Calif. 11 13 12 13

Memphis, Tenn. 13 16 16 18

Miami, Fla. 10 11 12 18

Minneapolis, Minn. 12 17 16 18

New York, N.Y. 16 19 18 18

Oakland (Fremont), Calif. 10 12 13 12

Olathe, Kan. 17 20 20 21

Salt Lake City, Utah 6 11 13 11

San Juan Center/RAPCON, Puerto Rico 2 2 2 2

Seattle, Wash. 9 11 15 13

Washington, D.C. 18 21 23 21

Total: 287 360 363 384

Total loss estimates may not match those in Chapter 4 due to rounding.
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 71

Terminal Facility Controller Loss Projections

Terminal Air Traffic Control Facilities Controller Loss Estimates

Facility Name FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009

Birmingham Municipal ATCT, Birmingham, Ala. 2 2 2 2

Huntsville ATCT, Huntsville, Ala. 1 2 2 2

Mobile ATCT, Mobile, Ala. 1 1 1 1

Montgomery RAPCON, Montgomery, Ala. 1 1 1 1

Anchorage Intl. ATCT, Anchorage, Alaska 1 2 2 1

Anchorage TRACON, Anchorage, Alaska 2 3 3 2

Fairbanks Intl. ATCT, Fairbanks, Alaska 1 1 1 1

Juneau Intl. ATCT, Juneau, Alaska 0 0 0 0

Merrill Field ATCT, Anchorage, Alaska 0 0 0 0

Pago Pago ATCT, Tutuila Island, American Samoa 0 0 0 0

Grand Canyon ATCT, Grand Canyon, Ariz. 0 1 1 1

Mesa ATCT, Mesa, Ariz. 1 1 1 1

Phoenix Deer Valley ATCT, Phoenix, Ariz. 1 1 1 1

Phoenix Intl. ATCT, Phoenix, Ariz. 2 4 4 4

Phoenix TRACON, Phoenix, Ariz. 3 5 6 5

Prescott ATCT, Prescott, Ariz. 0 1 1 1

Scottsdale ATCT, Scottsdale, Ariz. 1 0 0 1

Tucson Intl. ATCT, Tucson, Ariz. 1 1 1 1

Tucson TRACON, Tucson, Ariz. 1 2 2 2

Fort Smith TRACAB, Fort Smith, Ark. 1 2 2 2

Little Rock ATCT, Fort Smith, Ark. 1 2 2 2

Bakersfield ATCT, Bakersfield, Calif. 1 1 1 1

Burbank ATCT, Burbank, Calif. 1 1 1 1

Camarillo ATCT, Camarillo, Calif. 0 1 1 1

Carlsbad ATCT, Carlsbad, Calif. 1 1 1 1

Chino ATCT, Chino, Calif. 0 0 0 0

Concord ATCT, Concord, Calif. 1 1 1 1

El Monte ATCT, El Monte, Calif. 1 1 1 0

Fresno ATCT, Fresno, Calif. 2 3 3 3

Gillespie Field ATCT, El Cajon, Calif. 1 1 1 1

Hayward ATCT, Hayward, Calif. 1 1 1 1

High Desert TRACON, Edwards AFB, Calif. 2 2 3 2
72 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Terminal Air Traffic Control Facilities Controller Loss Estimates

Facility Name FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009

La Verne Brackett ATCT, La Verne, Calif. 1 1 1 0

Livermore ATCT, Livermore, Calif. 0 0 0 1

Long Beach ATCT, Long Beach, Calif. 2 2 2 2

Los Angeles Intl. ATCT, Los Angeles, Calif. 2 3 3 3

Monterey Peninsula ATCT, Monterey, Calif. 0 0 0 0

Napa County ATCT, Napa, Calif. 0 1 1 1

Northern California TRACON, Sacramento, Calif. 11 14 13 12

Oakland ATCT, Oakland, Calif. 3 2 2 2

Ontario Intl. ATCT, Ontario, Calif. 1 1 1 1

Orange County ATCT, Costa Mesa, Calif. 1 1 2 2

Palm Springs ATCT, Palm Springs, Calif. 1 1 2 2

Palo Alto ATCT, Palo Alto, Calif. 1 1 1 1

Reid Hillview ATCT, San Jose, Calif. 1 1 1 1

Sacramento Metro. ATCT, Sacramento, Calif. 1 1 1 1

San Diego ATCT, San Diego, Calif. 1 2 2 1

San Diego Montgomery ATCT, San Diego, Calif. 1 1 1 1

San Francisco Intl. ATCT, San Francisco, Calif. 1 2 2 2

San Jose Intl. ATCT, San Jose, Calif. 1 1 1 1

Santa Barbara Municipal ATCT, Santa Barbara, Calif. 2 2 2 2

Santa Monica Municipal ATCT, Santa Monica, Calif. 1 2 1 1

Sonoma County ATCT, Santa Rosa, Calif. 0 0 0 0

Southern California TRACON, San Diego, Calif. 14 20 20 18

Stockton ATCT, Stockton, Calif. 1 0 0 0

Torrance Municipal ATCT, Torrance, Calif. 1 1 1 1

Van Nuys ATCT, Van Nuys, Calif. 1 1 1 1

Aspen Pitkin County ATCT, Aspen, Colo. 1 1 1 1

Centennial ATCT, Arapahoe County, Colo. 1 1 1 1

Colorado Springs ATCT, Colorado Springs, Colo. 2 2 3 3

Denver Intl. ATCT, Denver, Colo. 2 3 3 3

Denver TRACON, Watkins, Colo. 4 6 5 4

Jefferson County ATCT, Broomfield, Colo. 1 1 1 1

Pueblo Memorial TRACAB, Pueblo, Colo. 1 1 1 1

Bradley Intl. ATCT, Windsor Locks, Conn. 1 1 2 1
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 73

Terminal Air Trafftic Control Facilities Controller Loss Estimates

Facility Name FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009

Yankee TRACON, Windsor Locks, Conn. 2 4 3 2

Greater Wilmington ATCT, New Castle, Del. 1 1 1 1

Central Florida Regional ATCT, Sanford, Fla. 1 1 1 1

Daytona Beach ATCT, Daytona Beach, Fla. 3 6 6 6

Fort Lauderdale ATCT, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 2 2 2 2

Fort Lauderdale Executive ATCT, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 1 1 1 1

Fort Myers ATCT, Fort Myers, Fla. 1 2 2 1

Fort Pierce ATCT, Fort Pierce, Fla. 1 1 1 1

Jacksonville Intl. ATCT, Jacksonville, Fla. 4 6 5 4

Miami Intl. ATCT, Miami, Fla. 4 6 7 7

Orlando Executive ATCT, Orlando, Fla. 1 1 1 1

Orlando Intl. ATCT, Orlando, Fla. 6 9 8 7

Palm Beach Intl. ATCT, West Palm Beach, Fla. 3 3 4 4

Pensacola Regional ATCT, Pensacola, Fla. 1 1 1 1

Pensacola TRACON, Pensacola, Fla. 2 2 2 2

Sarasota ATCT, Sarasota, Fla. 2 1 1 1

St. Petersburg ATCT, St. Petersburg, Fla. 1 1 1 1

Tallahassee ATCT, Tallahassee, Fla. 2 2 2 1

Tamiami ATCT, Miami, Fla. 0 1 0 1

Tampa Intl. ATCT, Miami Fla. 5 7 6 7

Vero Beach Municipal ATCT, Vero Beach, Fla. 1 0 1 1

Atlanta Combined TRACON, Peachtree, Ga. 5 7 6 7

Atlanta Hartsfield ATCT, Atlanta, Ga. 3 4 4 4

Augusta ATCT, Augusta, Ga. 0 1 1 1

Columbus Metro. ATCT, Columbus, Ga. 1 0 1 1

DeKalb Peachtree ATCT, Chamblee, Ga. 0 1 1 1

Savannah Intl. ATCT, Savannah, Ga. 1 1 1 1

Hilo ATCT, Hilo, Hawaii 1 1 1 1

Honolulu Control Facility, Honolulu, Hawaii 6 8 7 6

Kahului ATCT, Kahului, Hawaii 0 1 1 1

Boise ATCT, Boise, Idaho 1 1 2 2

Twin Falls ATCT, Twin Falls, Idaho 0 0 0 0

Aurora Municipal ATCT, Sugar Grove, Ill. 1 1 1 1
74 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Terminal Air Traffic Control Facilities Controller Loss Estimates

Facility Name FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009

Champaign ATCT, Champaign, Ill. 1 1 1 1

Chicago Midway ATCT, Chicago, Ill. 2 2 2 2

Chicago O’Hare Intl. ATCT, Chicago, Ill. 4 5 5 5

Chicago TRACON, Chicago, Ill. 6 8 8 8

Dupage ATCT, West Chicago, Ill. 1 1 1 1

East St. Louis ATCT, East St. Louis, Ill. 1 1 1 1

Greater Peoria ATCT, Peoria, Ill. 1 2 1 2

Moline Quad City ATCT, Milan, Ill. 1 2 1 1

Palwaukee ATCT, Wheeling, Ill. 1 1 1 1

Rockford ATCT, Rockford, Ill. 2 2 2 1

Springfield ATCT, Springfield, Ill. 0 0 0 1

Evansville Dress Regional ATCT, Evansville, Ind. 1 1 1 1

Fort Wayne Municipal ATCT, Fort Wayne, Ind. 2 2 2 3

Indianapolis Intl. ATCT, Indianapolis, Ind. 3 4 4 3

South Bend ATCT, South Bend, Ind. 1 2 2 2

Terre Haute ATCT, Terre Haute, Ind. 3 2 2 1

West Lafayette ATCT, West Lafayette, Ind. 1 1 1 0

Cedar Rapids Municipal ATCT, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 1 1 1 1

Des Moines Municipal ATCT, Des Moines, Iowa 1 2 1 1

Sioux City ATCT, Sioux City, Iowa 0 0 1 1

Waterloo Municipal ATCT, Waterloo, Iowa 1 1 1 1

Wichita Midcontinent ATCT, Wichita, Kan. 1 1 2 2

Greater Cincinnati Intl. ATCT, Hebron, Ky. 4 5 5 6

Lexington ATCT, Lexington, Ky. 2 2 1 2

Louisville Bowman ATCT, Louisville, Ky. 1 1 1 1

Louisville Stanford ATCT, Louisville, Ky. 3 3 3 2

Baton Rouge Metro. ATCT, Baton Rouge, La. 1 2 2 1

Lafayette Regional ATCT, Lafayette, La. 0 1 1 1

Lake Charles TRACAB, Lake Charles, La. 1 0 1 1

Lakefront ATCT, New Orleans, La. 0 1 0 0

Monroe Regional TRACAB, Monroe, La. 1 1 1 1

New Orleans Moisant ATCT, New Orleans, La. 2 1 2 2

Shreveport ATCT, Shreveport, La. 1 1 1 1
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 75

Terminal Air Traffic Control Facilities Controller Loss Estimates

Facility Name FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009

Bangor Intl. ATCT, Bangor, Maine 1 2 2 2

Portland Intl. ATCT, Portland, Maine 1 2 2 2

Kwajalein ATCT, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands 0 0 0 0

Andrews AFB ATCT, Camp Springs, Md. 1 1 1 0

Baltimore Intl. ATCT/TRACON, Glen Burnie, Md. 1 1 2 1

Bedford ATCT, Bedford, Mass. 1 1 1 1

Boston Logan ATCT, Boston, Mass. 2 3 3 3

Boston TRACON, Boston, Mass. 2 4 3 4

Cape TRACON, Falmouth, Mass. 2 2 2 2

Nantucket ATCT, Nantucket, Mass. 1 1 1 0

Ann Arbor Municipal ATCT, Ann Arbor, Mich. 1 1 1 1

Detroit Metro. ATCT, Romulus, Mich. 2 2 2 2

Detroit TRACON, Romulus, Mich. 3 4 4 5

Flint ATCT, Flint, Mich. 1 1 1 1

Grand Rapids ATCT, Grand Rapids, Mich. 2 2 2 1

Kalamazoo County ATCT, Kalamazoo, Mich. 1 2 2 2

Lansing ATCT, Clinton County, Mich. 1 1 1 1

Muskegon County ATCT, Muskegon, Mich. 1 2 2 1

Pontiac ATCT, Oakland County, Mich. 1 1 1 1

Saginaw ATCT, Freeland, Mich. 1 1 1 1

Traverse City ATCT, Traverse City, Mich. 1 1 1 1

Willow Run ATCT, Belleville, Mich. 1 1 1 1

Duluth Intl. ATCT, Duluth, Minn. 1 1 1 1

Flying Cloud ATCT, Eden Prairie, Minn. 1 1 1 1

Minneapolis Crystal ATCT, Crystal, Minn. 1 1 0 0

Minneapolis St. Paul ATCT, Minneapolis, Minn. 2 3 3 3

Minneapolis TRACON, Minneapolis, Minn. 2 4 4 4

Rochester Municipal TRACAB, Rochester, Minn. 1 1 1 1

St. Paul Downtown ATCT, St. Paul, Minn. 1 1 1 1

Gulfport Biloxi Regional ATCT, Gulfport, Miss. 1 1 1 1

Jackson Intl. ATCT, Jackson, Miss. 1 2 1 1

Meridian NAS RATCF, Meridian, Miss. 1 1 1 1

Kansas City Downtown ATCT, Kansas City, Mo. 1 1 1 1
76 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Terminal Air Traffic Control Facilities Controller Loss Estimates

Facility Name FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009

Kansas City Intl. ATCT, Kansas City, Mo. 3 4 4 4

Spirit of St. Louis ATCT, Chesterfield, Mo. 0 1 1 1

Springfield Regional ATCT, Springfield, Mo. 1 2 1 1

St. Louis Lambert Intl. ATCT, Bridgeton, Mo. 1 2 2 2

St. Louis TRACON, Bridgeton, Mo. 5 5 5 5

Billings Intl. ATCT, Billings, Mont. 1 2 2 2

Great Falls Intl. ATCT, Helena, Mont. 1 1 1 1

Helena Regional ATCT, Helena, Mont. 1 1 1 1

Lincoln Municipal ATCT, Lincoln, Neb. 1 1 1 1

Omaha ATCT, Omaha, Neb. 0 0 0 0

Omaha TRACON, Bellevue, Neb. 1 1 1 1

Las Vegas Intl. ATCT, Las Vegas, Nev. 2 3 4 3

Las Vegas TRACON, Las Vegas, Nev. 2 3 3 3

North Las Vegas ATCT, Las Vegans, Nev. 1 1 1 1

Reno ATCT, Reno, Nev. 2 2 2 2

Manchester ATCT, Manchester, N.H. 1 1 1 1

Atlantic City ATCT, Atlantic City, N.J. 2 2 2 2

Caldwell ATCT, Fairfield, N.J. 1 1 0 1

Morristown Municipal ATCT, Morristown, N.J. 0 1 1 1

Newark Intl. ATCT, Newark, N.J. 2 2 2 2

Teterboro ATCT, Teterboro, N.J. 0 0 0 0

Albuquerque ATCT, Albuquerque, N.M. 2 3 3 3

Roswell ATCT, Roswell, N.M. 1 1 1 1

Albany County ATCT, Albany, N.Y. 1 2 2 2

Edwin A. Link ATCT, Binghamton, N.Y. 1 0 1 1

Elmira ATCT, Elmira, N.Y. 0 0 1 1

Greater Buffalo Intl. ATCT, Buffalo, N.Y. 3 3 3 4

Griffiss AFB ATCT, Rome, N.Y. 1 2 1 1

John F. Kennedy Intl. ATCT, Queens, N.Y. 2 3 3 3

LaGuardia ATCT, Queens, N.Y. 1 1 1 1

Long Island Macarthur ATCT, Islip, N.Y. 2 2 2 2

New York TRACON, Garden City, N.Y. 11 14 13 12

Poughkeepsie ATCT, Wappingers Falls, N.Y. 1 1 1 1
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 77

Terminal Air Traffic Control Facilities Controller Loss Estimates

Facility Name FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009

Republic ATCT, East Farmingdale, N.Y. 2 1 1 1

Rochester Monroe County ATCT, Rochester, N.Y. 1 1 2 1

Syracuse Intl. ATCT, Syracuse, N.Y. 2 3 3 2

Westchester County ATCT, White Plains, N.Y. 0 1 0 0

Asheville Regional ATCT, Asheville, N.C. 1 1 1 1

Charlotte ATCT, Charlotte, N.C. 4 7 6 6

Fayettesville Municipal ATCT, Fayettesville, N.C. 1 1 2 1

Greensboro ATCT, Greensboro, N.C. 1 1 1 1

Raleigh Durham ATCT, Raleigh, N.C. 2 4 4 4

Wilmington ATCT, Wilmington, N.C. 1 1 2 2

Bismarck TRACAB, Bismarck, N.D. 1 1 1 1

Fargo ATCT, Fargo, N.D. 1 1 1 1

Grand Forks ATCT, Grand Forks, N.D. 0 1 1 1

Akron Canton Regional ATCT, North Canton, Ohio 2 2 1 1

Cleveland Hopkins ATCT, Cleveland, Ohio 3 5 5 4

Dayton Intl ATCT, Dayton, Ohio 3 2 3 3

Mansfield Municipal ATCT, Mansfield, Ohio 2 1 1 1

Port Columbus Intl. ATCT, Columbus, Ohio 4 5 4 5

Toledo Express ATCT, Swanton, Ohio 1 2 2 1

Youngstown Municipal ATCT, Vienna, Ohio 2 2 2 2

Oklahoma City ATCT, Oklahoma City, Okla. 2 3 4 3

Tulsa Intl. ATCT, Tulsa, Okla. 1 2 3 2

Tulsa Jones ATCT, Tulsa, Okla. 1 1 1 1

Eugene ATCT, Eugene, Ore. 1 1 2 2

Portland Hillsboro ATCT, Hillsboro, Ore. 1 1 1 1

Portland Intl. ATCT, Portland, Ore. 1 1 2 2

Portland TRACON, Portland, Ore. 2 2 2 2

Allegheny County ATCT, West Mifflin, Pa. 1 1 1 0

Allentown ATCT, Allentown, Pa. 1 2 2 2

Erie Intl. TRACAB, Millcreek Township, Pa. 1 2 2 2

Harrisburg Intl. Airport ATCT, Middletown, Pa. 1 2 1 1

Northeast Philadelphia ATCT, Philadelphia, Pa. 1 1 1 2

Philadelphia Intl. ATCT, Tinicum, Pa. 4 6 6 6
78 Federal Aviation Administration » Air Traffic Organization

Terminal Air Traffic Control Facilities Controller Loss Estimates

Facility Name FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009

Pittsburgh Intl. ATCT, Coraopolis, Pa. 3 5 5 5

Reading Municipal ATCT, Reading, Pa. 2 1 2 1

Wilkes-Barre ATCT, Avoca, Pa. 1 2 2 1

San Juan Intl. ATCT, San Juan, Puerto Rico 0 0 1 1

Providence ATCT, Warwick, R.I. 3 5 4 4

Charleston Intl. ATCT, Charleston, S.C. 2 1 2 2

Columbia Metro. ATCT, West Columbia, S.C. 2 2 2 2

Florence City County ATCT, Florence, S.C. 0 1 1 1

Greer ATCT, Greer, S.C. 0 1 1 1

Myrtle Beach ATCT, Myrtle Beach, S.C. 1 0 1 1

Sioux Falls ATCT, Sioux Falls, S.D. 0 0 1 1

Chattanooga ATCT, Chattanooga, Tenn. 1 2 2 2

Knoxville ATCT, Knoxville, Tenn. 2 3 2 1

Memphis Intl. ATCT, Memphis, Tenn. 2 3 4 4

Nashville Metro. ATCT, Nashville, Tenn. 3 4 5 5

Tri-City Regional ATCT, Bristol, Tenn. 1 1 1 2

Abilene Dyess RAPCON, Abilene, Texas 2 1 1 1

Addison ATCT, Addison, Texas 1 1 1 1

Amarillo ATCT, Amarillo, Texas 1 1 1 2

Austin ATCT, Austin, Texas 3 4 4 4

Corpus Christi ATCT, Corpus Christi, Texas 3 4 3 3

Dallas Fort Worth ATCT, Fort Worth, Texas 3 4 4 5

Dallas Fort Worth TRACON, Fort Worth, Texas 6 9 10 9

Dallas Love Field ATCT, Dallas, Texas 2 3 3 3

El Paso Intl. ATCT, El Paso, Texas 1 1 1 1

Fort Worth Alliance ATCT, Fort Worth, Texas 1 1 1 1

Fort Worth Meacham ATCT, Fort Worth, Texas 1 1 2 1

Gregg County TRACAB, Longview, Texas 1 1 1 1

Houston Hooks ATCT, Tomball, Texas 1 1 1 1

Houston Intl. ATCT, Houston, Texas 2 2 3 3

Houston TRACON/ATCT, Houston, Texas 5 5 5 5

Jefferson County ATCT, Beaumont, Texas 1 1 1 0

Lubbock ATCT, Lubbock, Texas 1 1 1 2
Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan » 2006 - 2015 79

Terminal Air Traffic Control Facilities Controller Loss Estimates

Facility Name FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009

Midland Regional ATCT, Midland, Texas 1 1 2 2

San Antonio ATCT, San Antonio, Texas 4 5 6 5

Waco ATCT, Waco, Texas 0 1 1 1

William P. Hobby ATCT, Houston, Texas 0 1 1 1

Salt Lake City Intl. ATCT, Salt Lake City, Utah 2 3 3 3

Salt Lake City TRACON, Salt Lake City, Utah 2 2 2 2

Burlington Intl. ATCT, Burlington, Vt. 1 2 2 2

St. Thomas ATCT, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 0 1 0 0

Dulles Intl. ATCT, Loudon County, Va. 2 2 2 2

Manassas ATCT, Manassas, Va. 0 0 1 1

Norfolk Intl. ATCT, Norfolk, Va. 2 4 3 3

Patrick Henry Intl. ATCT, Norfolk, Va. 1 1 1 1

Potomac TRACON, Prince William County, Va. 9 12 11 11

Richmond Intl. ATCT, Sandston, Va. 1 1 1 1

Roanoake Regional ATCT, Roanoke, Va. 3 4 4 3

Washington National ATCT, Arlington, Va. 2 2 2 2

Boeing Field ATCT, Seattle, Wash. 1 1 2 1

Everett ATCT, Everett, Wash. 1 1 1 1

Grant County ATCT, Moses Lake, Wash. 1 1 1 1

Seattle Tacoma Intl. ATCT, Seattle, Wash. 3 3 3 3

Seattle Tacoma TRACON, Seattle, Wash. 5 5 5 4

Spokane Intl. ATCT, Spokane Intl. Airport, Wash. 2 2 2 2

Tri-Cities ATCT, Pasco, Wash. 1 1 1 1

Charleston ATCT, Charleston, W. Va. 1 1 1 2

Clarksburg ATCT, Clarksburg, W. Va. 1 1 1 1

Huntington ATCT, Huntington, W. Va. 1 1 1 1

Green Bay ATCT, Green Bay, Wis. 2 2 2 3

Madison ATCT, Madison, Wis. 1 2 1 1

Milwaukee Mitchell ATCT, Milwaukee, Wis. 2 4 4 4

Casper ATCT, Casper, Wyo. 0 0 1 1

Total: 467 591 588 571

Total loss estimates may not match those in Chapter 4 due to rounding.