Office of Inspector General

Audit Report

FAA IS MAKING PROGRESS BUT 

IMPROVEMENTS IN ITS AIR TRAFFIC 

CONTROLLER FACILITY TRAINING ARE STILL 

NEEDED 

Federal Aviation Administration

Report Number: AV-2013-121

Date Issued: August 27, 2013
U.S. Department of

Memorandum

Transportation

Office of the Secretary

of Transportation

Office of Inspector General

Subject: ACTION: FAA Is Making Progress but 

Improvements in Its Air Traffic Controller 

Facility Training Are Still Needed

Federal Aviation Administration

Report Number AV-2013-121

Date: August 27, 2013

From: Jeffrey B. Guzzetti

Assistant Inspector General 

 for Aviation Audits

Reply to 

Attn. of: JA-10 

To: Federal Aviation Administrator

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to hire and train more than 

11,700 new air traffic controllers through fiscal year 2021 to offset expected 

retirements of those hired after the 1981 controller strike. This presents significant 

challenges for the Agency as new controllers can require more than 3 years of 

training to become fully certified to work in one of FAA’s more than 300 air 

traffic facilities. We have been reviewing FAA’s controller training program for 

nearly 10 years (see exhibit C for a list of all related Office of Inspector General 

(OIG) reports). Our work has found that the program is extremely decentralized 

for a national program of this size and that the efficiency and quality of training 

varies extensively by facility location. 

Accordingly, we initiated this audit to assess the status of FAA’s progress in 

advancing this important program. Specifically, our objectives were to (1) identify 

FAA’s progress in improving the facility training program for air traffic 

controllers and (2) assess challenges that FAA faces in achieving controller 

training goals. We conducted this audit in accordance with generally accepted 

Government auditing standards. Exhibit A details our scope and methodology.

RESULTS IN BRIEF

Over the last few years, FAA has begun improving its controller training program. 

For example, in May 2011 FAA created an Independent Review Panel (IRP) of 

industry and academic professionals to evaluate how the Agency hires, assigns, 

and trains new controllers. In September 2011, the panel made 
2

49 recommendations, many addressing our previous recommendations, that could 

significantly improve the controller hiring and training processes. FAA 

consolidated the IRP recommendations into 20 projects covering a broad range of 

categories, including FAA Academy training, facility training, professional 

standards, organizational structure, and the selection process for controllers. To 

date, FAA has focused primarily on developing initiatives to address the 

weaknesses in its facility training program that the IRP identified, such as the need 

to upgrade training laboratories. However, almost 2 years after issuance of the IRP 

report, FAA has yet to implement any of the IRP recommendations or establish 

completion timeframes.

FAA faces significant challenges in enhancing its training program, particularly its 

goal to reduce training times. The average training time for new controllers rose 

by 41 percent, from 1.9 years in fiscal year 2009 to an average of 2.68 years in 

fiscal year 2012. First, FAA is not effectively managing training resources through 

its Air Traffic Controller Optimum Training Solutions (ATCOTS) contract. FAA 

awarded ATCOTS in 2008 to provide controller training support, reduce total 

training time and costs, and develop training innovations.

1 However, recent

ATCOTS cost overruns reduced training support by 62 percent at all 22 en route 

centers with little advance notice to facilities. In addition, management turnover in 

FAA’s Office of Technical Training has impeded communication between 

headquarters and the field, exacerbating problems from the decentralized 

management of the national training program. Finally, FAA faces a potential 

shortage of certified professional controllers (CPC) needed to operate its busiest,

most complex air traffic control facilities and conduct on-the-job training (OJT). 

As we recommended in 2008, FAA encouraged more experienced FAA

controllers to transfer to such facilities. This resulted in some overall improvement 

in CPC staffing at those locations since 2009.

We are making a series of recommendations to assist FAA in improving its facility 

training efforts. 

BACKGROUND

Newly hired controllers must complete a demanding training program that 

includes learning the basic concepts of air traffic control at the FAA Academy, 

followed by extensive facility training at their assigned location. Facility training 

is conducted in stages and consists of a combination of classroom, simulation, and 

OJT. After controllers complete classroom and simulation training (if applicable),

2

they begin OJT, which is conducted exclusively by CPCs, who teach and observe 

 1 The $859 million ATCOTS contract consists of a 5-year base period, worth $437 million, and two option periods (a 3-

year period and a 2-year period), worth $422 million. 2 Most controllers train with simulators, but some controllers at non-radar tower facilities do not use simulators for 

training.
3

new controllers individually as they control live air traffic at various assigned 

control positions.

3 FAA’s goal is to have controllers at en route facilities complete 

training in less than 3 years,4 and to have controllers at terminal facilities complete 

training in less than 2 years.5

New controllers achieve certification on each position as they move through 

facility training. After they have certified on all positions within their assigned 

area, they are commissioned as a CPC at that facility. Training new controllers to 

the CPC level is important for two reasons: (1) only CPCs are qualified to control 

traffic at all positions of their assigned area, and (2) only CPCs certified for at 

least 6 months6 (at their assigned locations) can become OJT instructors for other 

new controllers.

FAA has also contracted some controller facility training support through the 

ATCOTS contract, which it awarded in 2008. FAA’s long-term goals for 

ATCOTS are to reduce training costs, reduce training time, improve training 

quality and consistency, leverage best practices and innovation, and develop 

flexible training. However, our 2010 review7 of ATCOTS determined that FAA 

was not achieving ATCOTS program goals. We are currently performing a 

separate follow up audit of the ATCOTS contract.

8

FAA DEVELOPED IMPORTANT INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE 

FACILITY TRAINING BUT HAS NOT YET IMPLEMENTED THEM 

In response to the IRP’s 49 recommendations, FAA organized 20 projects to 

improve the controller training program. However, almost 2 years after issuance of 

the IRP report, none of the projects have been implemented and timeframes for 

doing so are unknown. Further, FAA has not established a way to track the impact 

of its planned initiatives on controller training outcomes, such as completion rates 

and certification times.

These 20 planned projects address issue areas related to facility training, such as 

screening and hiring, facility placement, OJT instructor improvements, simulation 

and technology improvements, and curriculum redesign. Many of the IRP’s 

 3 Air traffic controllers work in teams, with each control position responsible for a specific set of duties, such as 

managing takeoffs at an airport.

4 Controllers at en route facilities control high altitude traffic as aircraft travel designated routes between airports. En 

route facilities are among the busiest and most complex facilities, so training time targets are normally higher than 

terminal facilities. 

5 Controllers at terminal facilities maintain the flow of air traffic in and around airports. Terminal facilities vary in 

complexity and comprise a wide range of air traffic facilities. 6 FAA has a change pending to increase the requirement to be an OJTI from 6 months as a CPC to 1 year. 7 FAA’s Air Traffic Controller Optimum Training Solution Program: Sound Contract Management Practices Are 

Needed to Achieve Program Outcomes (OIG Report No. AV-2010-126), September 30, 2010. OIG reports are available 

on our Web site at http:///www.oig.dot.gov/. 8 Follow-Up on FAA’s ATCOTS Contract Challenges (OIG Audit Announcement No. 12Z3002Z000), February 7, 

2012.
4

recommendations echoed the results of our previous work on controller training, 

which was cited frequently in the IRP report.9 (See exhibit D for a list of related 

open OIG recommendations and the corresponding IRP recommendations). If 

effectively implemented, FAA’s initiatives have the potential to improve 

controller training as follows: 

• Screening and Hiring—Previous studies by MITRE, OIG, and the IRP 

determined that FAA did not adequately assess the aptitude of controller 

candidates prior to assigning them to the busiest and most complex facilities. 

FAA’s ongoing projects to address these issues include improving the hiring, 

selection, and interview processes, and expanding pre-hire testing with the Air 

Traffic Selection and Training test (AT-SAT).10 However, these projects have 

not been completed and no implementation date has been set.

• Placement in Air Traffic Facilities—Prior to basic training at the FAA 

Academy, controller candidates are assigned to an air traffic facility based on 

the candidate’s location and facility type preference (en route or terminal) and 

FAA’s staffing needs. To reduce training attrition for newly hired controllers at 

the busiest and most complex facilities, we recommended in 201011 that FAA 

study restructuring the placement process to include performance at the FAA 

Academy. FAA agreed to complete a study and assigned the IRP with the task 

of evaluating the placement process. The IRP also recommended using a 

candidate’s performance at the FAA Academy to aid in a placement decision. 

However, almost 2 years after the IRP recommendation, FAA has not 

established an implementation date. 

• On-The-Job Training Instructor Improvements—In a 2011 FAA report,12

43 percent of surveyed OJT instructors stated that their initial training did not 

address the skills and techniques required to be an effective instructor. 

However, other than a 3-day introductory course for OJT instructors, and an 

online refresher course that has not been updated since 1998, there is no formal 

program or resource to assist OJT instructors in improving their teaching skills. 

FAA has developed a new training program for OJT instructors but has not 

offered any of the newly developed courses yet due to lack of funding. 

• Simulation and Technology Improvements—Through use of different 

simulation capabilities, FAA hopes to reduce training times and realize cost 

savings. FAA is currently developing a plan that describes the strategy for use 

of simulator technology (in addition to the high-fidelity Tower Simulation

 9 DOT OIG reports were cited 12 times in the IRP report. 10 AT-SAT is a streamlined screening tool intended to identify candidates with the best controller aptitudes. 11 Review of Screening, Placement and Initial Training of Newly Hired Air Traffic Controllers (OIG Report No. AV2010-049), April 1, 2010. 12 FAA, “On the Job Training Instructor Refresher Training, Data Analysis Report,” Washington, DC.
5

Systems already in place) during facility training and at the FAA Academy. 

The scope of the plan will include simulation technology, speech recognition, 

and centralized support functions. To date, FAA has not completed or 

established an implementation date.

• Curriculum Architecture and Course Redesign—FAA is currently 

redesigning the entire training curriculum for air traffic controllers in an effort 

to significantly improve training outcomes. Internal FAA studies have 

indicated that the current air traffic curriculum focuses on learning air traffic 

principles and rules, instead of the ability to perform the services of an air 

traffic controller. However, course redesign efforts have been underway since 

2008, and progress has been slowed by contractual issues, reorganization of 

technical training, and staff turnover. It is currently unclear when the potential 

benefits of changes to curriculum architecture and course redesign will be 

realized. (See table 1 for a summary of FAA’s efforts and progress with 

redesigning its controller training.) 

Table 1. Current Course Redesign Efforts and Progress

Course Location In Development Completed

Air Traffic Basics FAA Academy No No

Initial Tower Cab 

Training13

FAA Academy No No

Terminal Radar Approach 

Control Courses

FAA Academy Yes No

En Route Stages 2–4 Field Facilities Yes No

Terminal Stages 2–7 Field Facilities No No

Source: 2012 MITRE Report and FAA

• Local Air Traffic Facility Initiatives—In addition to the IRP 

recommendations, we identified initiatives that were developed independently 

at air traffic facilities. Recently, some facilities have taken steps to improve 

their facility training by developing training practices unique to their location. 

For example, at one facility, managers incorporated technology advancements 

into their training program by using tablet computers and providing students 

with user-friendly methods of accessing current and complete training 

information. Another facility’s staff recorded student performance in a 

simulation lab and replayed the student’s responses to various scenarios to 

identify areas for improvement. However, FAA does not have a mechanism to 

 13 Air traffic controllers working in tower cabs manage traffic within a few miles of the airport. They instruct pilots 

during taxiing, takeoff, and landing, and grant clearance for the aircraft to fly.
6

evaluate whether any of these initiatives could be implemented nationally as 

best practices.

FAA’s Controller Workforce plan, first issued in 2004, is a congressionally 

directed annual plan detailing FAA’s strategy for hiring new controllers to replace 

those expected to leave over the next 10 years. The 2004 Plan also outlined 

various initiatives for decreasing controller training times and costs. In our 2008 

report14 on facility training, we found that while the annual Controller Workforce 

Plan presented a comprehensive list of initiatives for training new controllers, each 

subsequent update provided fewer details concerning the status of the training 

initiatives. However, the most recent annual report does not mention any new 

training initiatives or any details of progress made on previous training initiatives. 

FAA FACES SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES TO ENHANCE ITS 

FACILITY TRAINING PROGRAM

FAA continues to face multiple challenges to enhancing its controller training 

program and achieving its stated goals. These include addressing the increase in

training times, managing training resources through the ATCOTS contract, 

maintaining consistent leadership of the nationwide program, measuring the 

impact of simulators and other training initiatives, and improving staffing 

composition at complex facilities through controller placement and screening 

programs. Addressing these challenges will be critical to achieve the full potential 

of FAA’s current and future controller training efforts. 

Training Times Continue To Increase

Although FAA has implemented training initiatives to reduce the time required to 

certify new controllers, such as the increased use of high fidelity simulators, the 

average overall time to train a controller has increased 41 percent, from 1.9 years 

in fiscal year 2009 to 2.68 years in fiscal year 2012. Air traffic and training 

managers attribute the increased training times to several factors, such as poorly 

prepared new hires, airspace redesign, new technology training, increased 

proficiency and refresher training for CPCs, and decreased contractor support 

resources. As these various factors illustrate, FAA still faces numerous challenges 

in meeting its goals for reducing controller training times. Table 2 details the 

average time to certify controllers that have become CPCs since 2009.

15

 14 Review of the Air Traffic Controller Facility Training Program (OIG Report No. AV-2008-055), June 5, 2008. 15 FAA calculates this average time based on the number of controllers who certify each fiscal year, as published in the 

2012 Controller Workforce Plan. We validated the methodology and tested the accuracy of the underlying data, and 

concluded that these published times are accurate.
7

Table 2. Average Time to CPC for Newly Hired Controllers 

Facility FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012

Overall 1.9 2.21 2.51 2.68

En Route 2.43 2.66 2.89 3.07

Terminal 1.54 1.95 2.28 2.42

Source: FAA Office of Labor Analysis

FAA’s goal is to have en route facility controllers complete training in less than 

3 years, and to have terminal controllers complete training in less than 2 years. 

These times include training at the FAA Academy, classroom, simulation lab, and 

OJT at the air traffic facility.

Uncertain ATCOTS Training Resources Have Hindered Training 

Efforts at Some Facilities

FAA has contracted some controller facility training support through the ATCOTS 

contract, which it awarded in September 2008. However, since its implementation 

in fiscal year 2009, ATCOTS has not had a measurable positive impact on facility 

training. In addition to overall facility training times increasing nationwide,

training costs increased by $46 million over the first 2 years of ATCOTS. 

Moreover, despite ATCOTS’ goals to leverage best practices and innovation to 

improve training, we found no significant innovations. Training initiatives have 

been mostly FAA-driven, with little or no input from the contractor—in part 

because cost overruns and other contract issues have limited the program’s 

progress.

16

In July 2012, facing cost overruns and other contractual issues, FAA reduced its 

use of ATCOTS contract resources by 62 percent at all 22 en route centers. 

Facility managers were not given any advanced notice of this reduction, and the 

staff at these facilities expressed a concern that FAA headquarters did not consider

their suggestions of what resources to cut to mitigate training challenges. This 

sudden and significant decrease in contract training support at some of the busiest 

and most complex locations hinders FAA’s efforts to achieve its controller 

training goals. For example, managers at the Memphis Center are expecting to 

begin training their entire workforce on the En Route Automation Modernization 

program (ERAM). Given the recent reduction in ATCOTS resources, the 

Memphis Center managers are preparing to supplement training by using certified 

controllers already assigned air traffic control positions. As a result of moving 

experienced controllers from day-to-day operations, facility managers expect an

 16 These issues, such as undefined requirements and cost overruns, will be discussed in detail in our separate, ongoing 

audit of the ATCOTS contract. See OIG Audit Announcement No. 12Z3002Z000, Follow-Up on FAA’s ATCOTS 

Contract Challenges, February 7, 2012.
8

increase in overtime and an increase in certification times as more time and 

resources will be focused on ERAM training. FAA managers we interviewed at 

Memphis, Chicago, Jacksonville, Washington, Oakland, and Atlanta en route 

centers believed that the uncertainty with the ATCOTS contract support makes 

managing the training program difficult. Further, some facilities are undergoing 

major transformations and implementing new technologies and procedures, 

potentially affecting the training times of controllers. 

FAA Has Not Maintained Consistent Leadership in Its Air Traffic 

Controller Technical Training Office

FAA’s controller training program has experienced multiple reorganizations and 

leadership changes. Since 2009, there have been three major reorganizations 

within the program office. The first two of these reorganizations were due to staff 

turnover as well as concerns about a lack of centralized guidance for the program. 

Most recently, in January 2012, FAA reorganized its controller training program

office by combining the Office of Technical Training with the Office of Safety. 

Through this reorganization, FAA hopes to improve training by incorporating 

recent safety analysis into current training.

FAA’s frequent leadership changes have negatively impacted its ability to 

communicate effectively with the field. During our site visits, we found that 

communication between FAA Headquarters and the managers at the facilities was 

poor. The facility staff we interviewed did not know who to contact with questions 

about training resources and stated that training guidance from FAA headquarters 

has been constantly changing. According to the training managers we interviewed, 

monthly training teleconferences were ended and the annual training conference 

was cancelled. Overall, FAA’s facility training program continues to be 

decentralized and training outcomes vary substantially between facilities.

FAA Lacks Mechanisms To Track New or Existing Training Initiatives 

and Measure the Impact of Simulators

FAA does not have an effective method to track innovations or contributions from 

ATCOTS or other training initiatives, including the IRP recommendations. While

FAA currently has at least six different systems for tracking controller training 

data, none of these systems contain the entire training record for controllers (see 

table 3). As a result of these numerous systems and incomplete records, it is 

difficult to isolate training efforts and measure their impact on controller training 

progress.
9

Table 3. FAA Controller Training Data Systems

FAA System Description

National Training Database 

(NTD)

FAA’s primary tool for national oversight of the 

controller training program. Tracks the progress of 

developmental controllers at air traffic facilities, 

including training attrition data

Training and 

Proficiency Record (TRAX)

Tracks training requirements and maintains employee 

training records

Quota Management and 

Resource Tool (QMART)

Tracks training requirements and human resource 

and hiring data

Comprehensive Electronic 

Data Analysis and Reporting 

(CEDAR)

Comprehensive data reporting, collection, and 

analysis tool that tracks training requirements, 

Mandatory Briefing Items (MBI), and Quality 

Assurance Reviews (QAR)

Electronic Learning 

Management System (eLMS)

FAA's training and learning management system that 

tracks training data and allows employees to take 

online training and review their records

Federal Personnel Payroll 

System (FPPS)

Official payroll system of the FAA, which is used to 

calculate certification times and training attrition rates

Source: OIG analysis 

FAA staff believes that simulators have a positive impact on training outcomes, 

and that they are an invaluable resource for providing the best training available.

However, since FAA does not have a system in place to measure and track the use 

of training innovations, the measurable impact of simulator training remains 

uncertain, especially given the rise in overall training times. In recent years, FAA 

has increased use of air traffic control training simulators both at its Academy and 

individual air traffic facilities. These simulators are used to train new hires and 

retrain the existing workforce on new procedures. In addition, simulators are used 

to provide refresher and proficiency training for certified controllers. 

While there are many factors that likely contribute to the rise of training times, 

isolating the impact of simulators from that of other factors contributing to training 

times is difficult, especially without a mechanism for tracking training 

innovations.

FAA’s Placement of Experienced FAA Controllers at Complex 

Facilities May Improve Training Outcomes

Ensuring an effective staffing composition—or ratio between fully certified and 

controllers-in-training—has been a key challenge for FAA’s controller training 

program, especially at its most critical air traffic facilities. As we recommended in
10

200817 and 2012,18 FAA encouraged experienced FAA controllers19—i.e., those 

controllers already fully certified at a lower-level facility—to move to busier and 

more complex facilities. Since fiscal year 2009, the number of experienced 

controllers in training at all facilities has increased by almost 90 percent, as shown 

in figure 1. 

Figure 1. Experienced FAA Controllers in Training Since Fiscal Year 

2009

Source: OIG analysis of FAA data

Encouraging experienced controllers to transfer and train at the busiest and most 

complex locations will likely improve overall staffing composition at facilities. 

Experienced controllers complete training at their new location in significantly 

less time and are less likely to fail training, especially at terminal facilities.20

To further improve training outcomes and address the challenge of staffing 

composition, FAA has also implemented a new screening program—the 

Operational Assessment Program (OAP)—for selecting experienced controllers 

for some of FAA’s most critical facilities. In May 2011, FAA implemented the 

OAP at the Chicago, Atlanta, and Southern California Terminal Radar Approach 

 17 Review of the Air Traffic Controller Facility Training Program (OIG Report No. AV-2008-055), June 5, 2008. 18 Enhanced Oversight of Staffing and Training at FAA’s Critical Facilities Is Needed To Maintain Continuity of 

Operations (OIG Report No. AV-2012-039), January 12, 2012. 19 Experienced FAA controllers are Certified Professional Controllers-In-Training who have already completed facility 

training at one location. They transfer to more complex facilities and must learn the airspace and procedures at the new 

facility before they can control live traffic unassisted. 20 We selected a stratified sample of 20 of 306 air traffic facilities based on type, complexity, and the number of 

trainees. 

606

695

965

1143

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012
11

Control (TRACON) facilities. This program allows FAA to evaluate the skill sets 

of experienced controllers from less complex but comparable facilities (ATC level 

9 or above)

21 who want to transfer to more complex (ATC Level 10 or above) 

facilities. The Program includes a basic skills test that evaluates applicants on five 

cognitive skills—communication, working speed, planning, prioritizing, and 

aircraft speed control. After passing the skills test, applicants receive a package of 

materials to review, and then spend a week in the classroom learning the new 

airspace, local procedures, and basic radar techniques, before handling airspace 

scenarios on a simulator. It takes 8 to 9 weeks of classroom and simulation 

training for an applicant to complete the Program. Following completion, the 

applicant begins OJT at the new facility. The goal of the Program is for each 

transfer to become certified at their new facility in 15 to 18 months. 

Since May 2011, five controllers at Chicago TRACON have become partially 

certified and nine others are in facility training. Preliminary results suggest that 

controllers selected through the OAP are progressing through their training faster 

than those not selected through the OAP. However, the Program is still in its early 

stages, and facility managers we interviewed stated that the Program’s impact on 

training times and certification rates may not be known until later this year.

22

CONCLUSION

Training new air traffic controllers to replace the large numbers of retiring

controllers remains a key priority in maintaining the safety and efficiency of the 

NAS—especially given the challenges this new workforce faces as it transitions to 

the next generation of air traffic management technology. FAA recognized the 

importance of this effort and has taken actions that have the potential to improve 

its controller training program. However, FAA needs to track the progress of 

implementing its initiatives, as well as put in place more efficient mechanisms for 

assessing the impact of these initiatives on training times, completion rates, and 

costs. Further steps are also needed to ensure that facilities have the training 

support resources they need. 

 21 FAA air traffic facilities are categorized into multiple levels (4 through 12); the higher the level, the greater the 

demand on a controller’s judgment, skills, and decision-making abilities. 22 The Atlanta and Southern California TRACONs have just selected their first class of experienced controllers through 

the Program.
12

RECOMMENDATIONS

To improve FAA’s controller training program and track the effectiveness of its 

new training initiatives, we recommend that FAA:

1. Reestablish a training initiatives section into the annual Controller Workforce 

Plan that introduces new initiatives and tracks the implementation of initiatives

that are in progress.

2. Develop and implement a formal policy to identify and disseminate locally 

developed training initiatives for use as best practices nationwide.

3. Develop a policy that establishes how and when any national training 

initiatives would be measured for effectiveness. 

4. Organize FAA controller training data into a single source that allows for 

detailed analysis of all training records for each controller.

5. Evaluate the Operational Assessment Program to determine if it can be used to 

improve staffing composition at all critical air traffic facilities.

AGENCY COMMENTS AND OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

RESPONSE 

We provided FAA with our draft report on June 18, 2013, and received its formal

response on August 1, 2013. FAA’s response is included in its entirety as an 

appendix to this report. In its response, FAA concurred with recommendations 2, 

3, and 4 and provided reasonable timeframes for completing the appropriate 

planned actions. We consider these recommendations resolved but open pending 

completion of the planned actions. FAA partially concurred with 

recommendations 1 and 5, as detailed below.

For recommendation 1, FAA stated that it agrees that tracking and monitoring of 

training initiatives is important, but does not agree that reporting the impact of 

these initiatives in the controller workforce plan is beneficial to stakeholders.

However, FAA has agreed to track and monitor air traffic controller training 

initiatives and recently began publishing a semiannual report on newly hired air 

traffic controller times and processes. This action meets the intent of our 

recommendation, and we consider the recommendation closed.

For recommendation 5, FAA stated that the Operational Assessment Program 

(OAP) is site-specific and cannot be used at all TRACONs without significant 

costs and efforts. The Agency stated that it focused its OAP development efforts at 

only three TRACONs thus far, and recently discontinued efforts at two of them 
13

due to the investment required and a decrease in vacant positions. FAA also stated 

that while it concurs with the need to evaluate the program for potential use at all 

critical facilities, and will provide OIG with an update in 12 months, the Agency 

cannot expand OAP to other facilities due to funding shortfalls and uncertainty 

with its fiscal year 2014 budget. However, recognizing this uncertainty, we request 

that the Agency provide us alternative plans for this recommendation in the 

absence of adequate funding to ensure the OAP will continue to be evaluated.

ACTIONS REQUIRED 

FAA’s planned actions for recommendations 2, 3, and 4 are responsive and we 

consider these recommendations resolved but open pending completion of the 

planned actions. We consider recommendation 1 closed, as detailed above. For 

recommendation 5, we request that FAA provide us alternative plans to ensure the 

OAP will continue to be evaluated. In accordance with Department of 

Transportation Order 8000.1C, we request that FAA provide this additional 

information within 30 days of this report.

We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation of FAA representatives during this 

audit. If you have any questions concerning this report, please call me at 202-366-

0500 or Bob Romich, Program Director, at (202) 366-6478.

#

cc: DOT Audit Liaison, M-1

FAA Audit Liaison, AAE-100
14

Exhibit A. Scope and Methodology

EXHIBIT A. SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY

We conducted this audit from February 2012 to June 2013 in accordance with 

generally accepted Government auditing standards. Those standards require that 

we plan and perform the audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide 

a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. 

We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings 

and conclusions based on our audit objectives. Our site visits included the Federal 

Aviation Administration (FAA) Headquarters, the FAA Academy, and 13 Air 

Traffic Facilities (see exhibit B).

During the audit, we interviewed FAA officials from the Office of Technical 

Training and Safety (for both terminal and en route), the Office of Labor Analysis, 

and the ATCOTS Program Office to determine FAA’s planned initiatives intended 

to improve the facility training program. During our site visits, we interviewed 

facility managers, staff managers, training managers, NATCA representatives, and 

Raytheon Technical Services (ATCOTS Contractor) employees to determine the 

impact of prior initiatives on improving training outcomes. We also collected data 

on certification times, staffing composition and training completion rates, and 

locally developed initiatives intended to improve facility training for air traffic 

controllers. We compared the statements of FAA officials to the data collected 

during the site visits.

To determine if the certification times published in the 2012 Controller Workforce 

Plan were accurate, we selected a stratified sample of 20 of 306 air traffic facilities 

based on type, complexity, and the number of trainees. This sample represented 17

percent of all trainees in the system. We collected data from FAA Headquarters 

for these 20 facilities that specified which controllers had completed training since 

the beginning of fiscal year 2009. We visited 10 of these facilities from our 

stratified sample, in addition to the FAA Academy and 3 additional facilities 

outside the sample. We validated the completion data, and then accessed FPPS 

(FAA Payroll System) and calculated the difference between the date an employee 

achieved certification and the date they started training at the facility for all 

facilities in the sample. We were able to successfully validate the training times 

published in the 2012 Controller Workforce Plan. 
15

Exhibit B. Facilities Visited

EXHIBIT B. FACILITIES VISITED 

Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZTL)

Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center* (ZAU)

Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center* (ZTL)

Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center* (ZME)

Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center* (ZOA)

Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center* (ZDC)

Atlanta Terminal Radar Approach Control (A80)

Chicago Terminal Radar Approach Control* (C90)

Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control* (SCT)

Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control* (PCT)

Atlanta Air Traffic Control Tower (ATL)

Jacksonville Air Traffic Control Tower* (JAX)

Raleigh-Durham Air Traffic Control Tower* (RDU)

* Facilities visited for data verification sample.
16

Exhibit C. Prior OIG Audit Reports on Air Traffic Controller Training

EXHIBIT C. PRIOR OIG AUDIT REPORTS ON AIR TRAFFIC 

CONTROLLER TRAINING

• Enhanced Oversight of Staffing and Training at FAA’s Critical Facilities Is 

Needed To Maintain Continuity of Operations (OIG Report No. AV-2012-

039), January 12, 2012

• FAA Must Improve Its Controller Training Metrics To Help Identify Program 

Needs (OIG Report Number. AV-2011-072), March 30, 2011

• FAA’s Air Traffic Controller Optimum Training Solution Program: Sound 

Contract Management Practices Are Needed to Achieve Program Outcomes

(OIG Report No. AV-2010-126), September 30, 2010

• Review of Screening, Placement and Initial Training of Newly Hired Air 

Traffic Controllers (OIG Report Number. AV-2010-049), April 01, 2010

• Training Failures Among Newly Hired Air Traffic Controllers (OIG Report 

No. AV-2009-059), June 08, 2009

• Controller Staffing at Key California Air Traffic Control Facilities (OIG 

Report No. AV-2009-047), April 23, 2009

• Review of the Air Traffic Controller Facility Training Program (OIG Report 

No. AV-2008-055), June 05, 2008

• FAA Has Opportunities to Reduce Academy Training Time and Costs by 

Increasing Educational Requirements for Newly Hired Air Traffic Controllers

(OIG Report Number. AV-2006-021), December 7, 2005

• Opportunities to Improve FAA’s Process for Placing and Training Air Traffic 

Controllers in Light of Pending Retirements (OIG Report No. AV-2004-060),

June 02, 2004

All OIG reports are available on our Web site at http://www.oig.dot.gov/. 
17

Exhibit D. Open OIG and Related IRP Recommendations

EXHIBIT D. OPEN OIG AND RELATED IRP RECOMMENDATIONS

OIG Recommendation: Assign controller candidates to a facility based on 

their academy performance in conjunction with data currently available.

IRP Recommendations:

• Selections for air traffic controller training and selection to a facility should 

be a two step process.

• A selection algorithm should be developed to aid the selection process.

• Change the air traffic controller application form so the applicants can 

select one region, one state, or anywhere.

• Delay the track assignment until after the candidate’s aptitude is assessed 

during initial training at the FAA Academy training and use OJTIs in this 

process.

• Delay the facility assignment until after the candidate’s aptitude is assessed 

during Academy training and use field management in this process.

OIG Recommendation: Evaluate the AT-SAT and redesign it so that it results 

in air traffic controllers being placed at locations according to their skill set.

IRP Recommendations:

• Offer the Air Traffic Selection and Training (AT-SAT) test through 

existing FAA testing centers.

• Provide air traffic controller candidates the opportunity to take the ATSAT exam once each year.

• Conduct a longitudinal study to determine the predictive value of the ATSAT test and institutionalize the process.

• Correlate specific AT-SAT scores with candidate training performance.

• In addition to the AT-SAT, other factors should be given appropriate 

weight in the selection decision for air traffic controllers.
18

Exhibit D. Open OIG and Related IRP Recommendations

OIG Recommendation: Implement the recommendations of the 2007 

Controller training and Development for En Route and Terminal.

IRP Recommendations:

• The FAA Academy should create a web-based Air Traffic Basics course. 

Completion of this course should be required of all candidates entering 

ATCS training.

• Provide Air Traffic Basics training via an online module.

• Expose Academy students to all ATCS track specialties and use contract 

instructors and OJTIs in this role.

• Incorporate an “advanced” course for all candidates prior to reporting to the 

field units and use OJTIs in this role.

• Improve the quality of Academy-based training by (a) capturing additional 

performance samples during training, (b) replacing the “pass/fail” grading 

strategy with multi-level performance measures, and (c) providing detailed 

Academy training records to the gaining facility manager.
19

Exhibit E. Major Contributors to This Report

EXHIBIT E. MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS REPORT 

Name Title

Robert Romich Program Director

Adrienne Williams Project Manager

Benjamin Huddle Senior Analyst

Doneliya Deneva Senior Auditor

Petra Swartzlander Senior Statistician

Megha Joshipura Statistician

Andrew Sourlis Analyst

Audre Azuolas Writer/Editor
APPENDIX. AGENCY COMMENTS 20

Appendix. Agency Comments

Federal Aviation

Administration

Memorandum

Date: August 1, 2013

To: Jeffrey B. Guzzetti, Assistant Inspector General for Aviation Audits

From: H. Clayton Foushee, Director, Office of Audit and Evaluation, AAE-1

Subject: Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Response to Office of Inspector General 

(OIG) Draft Report: Air Traffic Controller Facility Training

Improving air traffic controller training remains a high priority for the FAA. As noted in the 

draft report, the framework for planned improvements begins with the implementation of the 

Independent Review Panel (IRP) recommendations. Many of those recommendations require 

improvements to employee screening, hiring and placement as a precursor to improving training. 

Implementation of these recommendations is a complex effort and must be carried out in 

conjunction with training program improvements. Activities designed to improve or enhance the 

operations of the FAA must deliver sufficient benefit in order to receive necessary resources. 

Even in this challenging environment, the FAA has continued to make steady progress in 

completing a comprehensive assessment of the air traffic controller curriculum. Coincident with 

the curriculum assessment, curriculum improvements are underway for Air Traffic Basics 

(conversion to web-based, independent courseware), Initial Tower and Terminal Radar 

(instructional design revision to objective grading) and En Route Stage 2-4 (conversion of 

courseware to support new automation platforms and instructional design improvements). These 

efforts are targeted at improving training and decreasing time to certification depending upon 

facility complexity. 

The FAA closely monitors the time for candidates to become fully qualified controllers as an 

internal metric, which is reviewed quarterly by the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Chief 

Operating Officer. Multiple factors have contributed to the slight increase in training times. Due 

to increased controller hiring and retirements the past few years, the FAA has experienced a 

training surge at many facilities. Facilities training workload associated with developmental 

controller training has risen over the past several years, resulting in less time available for 

developmental controllers’ “seat time” with on-the-job-training instructors, resulting in extended 

training times. Improving the quality of training through the use of "best practices" and available 

simulation to enhance the training curriculum has led to more training and longer qualification 

times. Local site training adaptations have lengthened training durations while increasing the 

value and quality of training. 
21

Appendix. Agency Comments

The FAA augments federal staff with contract training staff to assist with completing the volume 

of developmental training. The major contribution that contract staff offers is initial training of 

developmental controllers (about 1/3 of total facility training), skill enhancement training, and 

simulator lesson development. Because the developmental surge has matured, most facilities 

now face a surge of on-the-job training (approximately 2/3 of the total facility training) that can 

only be done by certified controller instructors due to the complexity and experience required. 

The FAA is looking for alternative training solutions that would assist in relieving on-the-job 

training pressures at some facilities.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND RESPONSES

Recommendation 1: Reestablish a training initiatives section into the annual Controller 

Workforce Plan that introduces new initiatives and tracks the implementation of initiatives that 

are in progress.

FAA Response: Partially Concur. FAA agrees that improved tracking and monitoring of air 

traffic controller training initiatives would be beneficial and provide greater transparency and 

clarity to FAA's training processes and performance. However, the FAA does not concur that 

including this detailed information in the “Controller Workforce Plan” will enhance the utility 

of the report for Congress, the general public, or other key stakeholders, as the primary focus of 

the document is on hiring and staffing rather than training. 

Recently, ATO's Safety and Technical Training group began publishing a semi-annual report 

(January and July) on newly hired air traffic controller training times and processes. The 

information in these semi-annual reports include, but are not limited to, training performance, 

introduction of new training initiatives, and updated status on training initiatives. These reports 

are available for review and were provided to the OIG previously. The FAA requests this 

recommendation be closed.

Recommendation 2: Develop and implement a formal policy to identify and disseminate 

locally developed training initiatives for use as best practices nationwide.

FAA Response: Concur. The ATO’s Safety and Technical Training Office (AJI) previously 

reported that the analysis of training programs for technicians was expected to have a completion 

date in June 2013. Contract negotiations with the vendor caused the completion date to move to 

August 2013 without incurring any additional costs to the FAA.

The ATO’s training policies for air traffic controllers and technicians are contained within 

governing training orders. As the ATO gathers the data required to upgrade their training 

strategy for the future, AJI will continue to update existing policy for controllers and technicians. 

These governing orders will be updated by the end of September 2013 and will include field and 

industry best practices such as recurrent training for air traffic controllers. 

Once the job task analysis is completed, now planned for August 2013, the ATO will continue 

the effort to create a written strategy (policy) which will drive updates to the curriculum. 
22

Appendix. Agency Comments

Barring worsening budgetary pressures, the ATO estimates a first version of the strategy to be 

available by March 31, 2014.

Recommendation 3: Develop a policy that establishes how and when any national training 

initiatives would be measured for effectiveness.

FAA Response: Concur. The FAA is committed to staff responsibility and accountability for 

written evaluation and analyses of technical training initiatives. Subject areas to be considered 

during these evaluations include, but are not limited to, cost/benefit analyses, impacts on 

developmental time to full qualification, lessons learned, and corrective action recommendations. 

AJI-2 expects a written policy to be completed and briefed to all affected AJI-2 personnel by 

October 1, 2013. 

Recommendation 4: Organize FAA controller training data into a single source that allows 

for detailed analysis of all training records for each controller.

FAA Response: Concur. In September 2011, an Independent Review Panel (IRP) provided 

recommendations on improving air traffic controller selection, assignment, and training. IRP 

recommendation 24 identified the need for the consolidation of multiple databases currently used 

for the tracking, storage, and reporting of training data. The IRP’s recommendation highlights 

the need for an integrated database for employees’ data from application to 

separation/retirement. The implementation of this system should result in the following benefits:

• Substantial reductions in redundancy among data management and reporting systems

• Ability to leverage enterprise (e.g., agency-wide) data management and reporting 

systems that are centrally managed and maintained

• Increased security and reliability of the data management and reporting systems and 

the training data captured

This work is ongoing and the FAA will provide an update on the agency’s progress to the OIG 

by July 31, 2014.

Recommendation 5: Evaluate the Operational Assessment Program to determine if it can be 

used to improve staffing composition at all critical air traffic facilities.

FAA Response: Partially Concur. The FAA is piloting the Operational Assessment Program 

(OAP), which screens applicants who want to transfer to the most complex Terminal Radar 

Approach Control (TRACON) facilities. Chicago’s TRACON was the lead facility to use the 

program, completing assessments on candidate controllers in FY11-13. The program includes a 

knowledge exam and skills assessment as part of the pre-selection criteria, provides the hiring 

manager with additional data to consider in making the hiring decisions, and permits candidates 

to opt-out of the program as well. OAP is intended to screen applicants for skills to succeed at 

the most complex National Airspace System--critical facilities. The FAA collects training 

progress and certification rates of candidates selected during this pilot program.
23

Appendix. Agency Comments

The FAA is still evaluating this program. Southern California and Atlanta TRACONs were 

among the OAP pilot sites, but will not continue offering the OAP selection because of the 

investment required and the number of vacancies at these two facilities has decreased. The FAA 

invested in site-specific development and selection/training for key staff at only three OAP sites. 

OAP materials are site-specific and cannot be used at other TRACONs without the FAA 

committing to costly revisions and development necessary to offer OAP at new facilities.

Earlier in FY13, all hiring and training was suspended due to budget shortfalls. Because the 

FAA’s budget for FY14 is presently unknown, it is difficult to speculate on the number of OAP 

opportunities that can be afforded. The FAA concurs with the need to evaluate the OAP, and 

will provide the OIG with an update by September 30, 2014.