The U.S. Celebrates National Air Traffic Control Day

DALLAS — POTUS has declared today, July 6, National Air Traffic Control Day to recognize the U.S. Air Traffic Controllers and Airway Transportation Systems Specialists who help keep the nation’s skies safe and its economy moving.

As the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) states, "every minute, every hour, every day," there are men and women working to ensure the safety and efficiency of our national airspace system. It’s a tough job. Got what it takes?

This group of more than 14,000 FAA air traffic control specialists provide a vital public service to guide pilots, their planes and 2.2 million daily passengers from taxi to takeoff, through the air and back safely on the ground.

Controllers collectively handle an average of 45,000 flights a day and, much like rush hour traffic, more than 5,000 aircraft traversing the skies at once during peak times, according to the FAA. Focus. Concentration. Attention to detail. Quick decision making. It’s all part of the job.

The Air Line Pilots Association, the Department of Transportation and the  FAA took to X to celebrate the nation's ATC.

Improving the Nation's ATC

Last December, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) expressed its gratitude to the 138 members of the U.S. House of Representatives who signed a letter to Congressional leadership. The letter called for the inclusion of crucial measures to tackle air traffic control staffing shortages in the final FAA reauthorization legislation.

The NATCA represents nearly 20,000 highly skilled air traffic controllers, engineers, and other aviation safety-related professionals.

The provisions supported by the bipartisan signatories aim to ensure maximum recruitment of air traffic controllers for the next five years. They also require the FAA to base its Controller Workforce Plan (CWP) on the staffing targets set by the Collaborative Resource Workgroup (CRWG).

Over the past decade, there has been a decrease of approximately 1,000 Certified Professional Controllers. The shortage in controller staffing has led the FAA to implement mandatory overtime to cover chronically understaffed facilities. More than 40 percent of air traffic controllers regularly work six-day workweeks.

Application

The FAA is advertising the Experienced Controller vacancy announcement as a Public Notice for Air Traffic Control Specialist (Direct Hire). This public notice will be open from 11/13/2023 and close on 11/11/2024.

The period of this public notice is from November 13, 2023, until November 11, 2024. Those interested must apply online on USAJobs to receive consideration for this position by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the Close Date for it to be accepted.

During the open time, the agency will use this public announcement as a resume repository to assess applications and get in touch with qualified candidates. The Human Resources Office will review your qualifications as soon as we get your full application.

The hiring manager will be notified of all eligible and qualified candidates for further consideration. If you are chosen for an interview, you will receive a direct message. The willingness to work at any air traffic facility is another need for applicants to this public notice.

Minimum Requirements for ATCS - Trainee

• Be a United States citizen
• Be age 30 or under (on the closing date of the application period)
• Pass a medical examination
• Pass a security investigation
• Pass the FAA air traffic pre-employment test
• Speak English clearly enough to be understood over communications equipment
• Have three years of progressively responsible work experience, or a Bachelor's degree, or a combination of post-secondary education and work experience that totals three years
• Be willing to relocate to an FAA facility based on agency staffing needs

Minimum Requirements for ATCS - Previous Experience

• Be a United States citizen
• Be age 35 or under (on the closing date of the application period)
• Pass a medical examination
• Pass a security investigation
• Speak English clearly enough to be understood over communications equipment
• Be willing to relocate to an FAA facility based on agency staffing needs
• Have a minimum of 52 consecutive weeks of air traffic control experience involving the full-time active separation of air traffic after receipt of an air traffic rating/or facility rating within five years of application while serving at one of the following:
  • a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control facility; OR
  • a civilian or military air traffic control facility of the Department of Defense, including National Guard facilities; OR
  • a tower operating under contract with the FAA under section 47124

The featured image the Pope Field Air Traffic Control Tower. Pope Field Air Traffic Control Tower. #NationalATCDay