Air traffic control towers have been in the headlines this year, likely more than anyone (both in the industry and travelers alike) would have wanted them to be. A tragic accident in understaffed air traffic control areas near Reagan National Airport (DCA) and a series of dangerous air traffic control blackouts at 
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) have been quick to concern everyone with a love for commercial aviation. Maintaining safe air traffic control management systems has been a critical catalyst for the continued growth of the commercial aviation industry. With continued bullish growth on the horizon, weak air traffic control systems could be a key hurdle holding the industry back.
At the heart of all air traffic control operations are the controllers themselves. These are highly-skilled professionals who are rigorously trained to be able to take on the life-and-death task of guiding aircraft around runways and commercial airports. While some attention has also been paid to the outdated technology these professionals are working with, air traffic controller shortages have been quick to snag the headlines. The shortage of air traffic controllers has been so pronounced, those who do remain in towers and control rooms require high salaries, some of which actually exceed those of the Federal Aviation Administration’s most senior personnel. We analyze the role that the air traffic controller shortage has played in the modern aviation industry’s development and how it has impacted salary dynamics.
A Brief Overview Of Air Traffic Control
Air traffic controllers are some of the most essential personnel within the aviation industry. Anyone who has ever been to an airport has likely noticed a large tower located in a central location that offers wrap-around views of the airport and its runways, helping provide controllers with exceptional real-time visibility over the field that they are managing. Mechanically, air traffic controllers are the link in the flight management process that helps communicate directions, flight paths, landing, taxi, and takeoff approvals to pilots. These kinds of professionals are not just necessary to ensure that a flight takes off on time, but also to make sure that everybody gets where they are going safely. Airports all across the globe every day rely on the diligence of air traffic controllers to keep everything running smoothly.
The air traffic control tower is undeniably one of the most essential elements of any modern airport. However, the challenge today has been less with the actual controlling of jets (these systems have remained unaltered for decades) but more with maintaining talented professionals in the control tower. For years now, an air traffic controller shortage has become a major issue, and airline leaders have continued to warn us about the negative impacts that America’s deteriorating air traffic control infrastructure may have on passenger safety.
Thus, especially in the wake of the multiple events that occurred earlier this year, it has become increasingly clear that there is a major issue with America’s air traffic control systems. Furthermore, it has become very clear that solutions are needed urgently. What no one seems to agree on, however, is how exactly those goals should be achieved.
What Does It Take To Become An Air Traffic Controller?
Becoming an air traffic controller in the United States today is no easy feat. It is a selective, structured process run by the Federal Aviation Administration. For starters, one has to be a US citizen and must apply before their 31st birthday, although some age-related exceptions do exist for those with certain kinds of technical experience. Once hired, candidates must pass a security check, drug test, and hold a Class II medical certificate. Air traffic controllers are required to hold a bachelor’s degree or have three years of work experience. A mix of the two can also be acceptable. Some controllers will enter the FAA’s training program with prior military experience in air traffic control, which will allow them to directly qualify.
The FAA periodically opens up the application for this unique position, and referrals will always help. Those ultimately selected for the program are put through multiple rounds of aptitude testing. These evaluate a candidate controller’s ability to process information rapidly, in addition to their spatial awareness and prioritization capabilities. Strong English skills and the ability to speak calmly over a radio are requirements for the profession. Those ultimately selected for the program will attend the FAA’s academy in Oklahoma City for multiple months of intensive classroom and simulator experience.
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Those who graduate will ultimately be assigned to a facility where they will complete a multiphase on-the-job training working with certified instructors. This allows them to progress from controllers in development to Certified Professional Controller (CPC). Junior controllers can expect to work nights and holidays, and the job takes a cognitive toll. Resilience, teamwork, and meticulous following of the rules are all essential pieces of this job. Controllers will need to maintain their health throughout their careers, and opportunities do exist for promotion or specializations as supervisors or instructors.
What Are The Challenges With This Path?
Interest in becoming an air traffic controller has begun to erode because the job has many higher trade-offs. Training is long, high-stakes, and uncertain, and candidates have to spend years in the academy and on-the-job phases with a high risk of washing out. The position carries relatively little street credit outside of aviation. Even for those who do pass the academy, the job is becoming even more unappealing.
Chronic staffing gaps at busy airports mean that overtime becomes mandatory, sleep cycles become inverted, and work-life balance becomes unpredictable, all with zero-error expectations. Cognitively intense work that becomes public-facing during disruptions, the benefits of this kind of profession are becoming less and less appealing. New hires are required to relocate anywhere, often to the highest-cost cities.
Despite solid pay (at least by the standards of the aviation industry), control over one’s lifestyle is akin to that of an investment banker, and the check is nowhere near as large. All the while, headlines about near-misses and delays raise scrutiny across the board, and the continued talk of automation further muddies perceptions of the job being a long-term, stable career.
Are There More Attractive Jobs In Aviation?
There are also many more lucrative jobs within the world of commercial aviation. For starters, airline network planning and revenue management allow job seekers with a background in analytics to earn higher salaries. This offers clear advancement pathways and hybrid work opportunities.
Highly motivated candidates will also find pathways in aircraft leasing, which tend to pay well and offer a broader and more transferable skill set to other industries. Equity research and consulting pathways also offer higher salaries and more exposure to a broader range of career pathways.
Avionics and software development, working directly at a manufacturer or industry startups, offer more transferable skill sets. Across the board, very few are willing to take on the arduous task of working as an air traffic controller.
A Brief Look At How This Shortage Has Impacted Salary Dynamics
New York’s air traffic control system remains chronically short-staffed, despite large amounts of overtime pay being issued to individual controllers. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and union officials have both begun to concede that retention in this region is becoming extremely challenging, as managing this airspace grows increasingly complex.
Many trainees fail to qualify even once, and this can make the career path even less appealing. Controllers work six long days per week, meaning that overtime becomes a big component of a controller’s pay. According to the Wall Street Journal, some controllers walk home with year-end comp exceeding $183,100, the overall salary of a Federal Aviation Administration Administrator.
In July, there were only 133 fully trained controllers on staff, demonstrating a significant gap. FAA managers have highlighted improved methods for certifying controllers. However, staffing levels have yet to meaningfully recover in any capacity. Many controllers have transferred away from the most taxing airspace, and the FAA has taken to partnering with local colleges in Queens to find candidates who are more likely to remain near home.
So, What Is The Bottom Line?
At the end of the day, air traffic controllers are essential for the airline industry to operate safely. Passengers have their lives in the hands of controllers, and people take to the skies every year, having trust in those who guide their aircraft. Air traffic control towers are critical components of the travel ecosystem.
The path to becoming an air traffic controller today remains somewhat unrewarding. It is extremely expensive in terms of education while also providing limited in terms of immediate financial benefits and long-term lifestyle improvements. For this reason, good, young talent continues to get dragged away from this specific specialization.
However, some people in the industry are motivated towards solving this exact challenge. However, significantly improving staffing levels at air traffic control towers cannot happen overnight, as training undoubtedly takes quite a lot of time.
