The FAA is encouraging gamers to get jobs in air traffic control
Source: Engadget
FAA’s Gaming-Themed Hiring Campaign
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched a new recruitment drive aimed at gamers for its air traffic controller (ATC) hiring window, which opens at 12 a.m. ET on April 17. The campaign, described by the agency as “supercharged hiring,” uses a YouTube video that draws parallels between video‑gaming skills and the demands of directing air traffic.
“To reach the next generation of air traffic controllers, we need to adapt,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “This campaign’s innovative communication style and focus on gaming taps into a growing demographic of young adults who have many of the hard skills it takes to be a successful controller.”
The video features nostalgic gaming imagery, including an Xbox One logo, to appeal to candidates who grew up with modern console games.
Background on Controller Shortage
- The FAA has been losing more air traffic controllers than it can hire and retain since the 2010s.
- The shortage worsened during the COVID‑19 pandemic, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released in December.
- Although hiring increased each year since 2021, the FAA employed 13,164 controllers at the end of 2025, 6 % fewer than in 2015.
- Meanwhile, the number of flights in the national air traffic system rose by about 10 %, reaching 30.8 million flights.
Applicant Requirements
- U.S. citizenship
- Age under 31 (the FAA’s stated age limit)
- Fluent English proficiency
- Successful completion of an aptitude test, medical screening, and FAA Academy training
The FAA’s hiring page markets the role as joining “the BEST AND BRIGHTEST, the elite squad of 14,000 controllers protecting 2.9 million daily passengers.”
Salary
After three years of service, the average salary is reported to be $155,000 per year.