The U. It's causing problems not just for the air traffic controllers that remain but the flying public at large. The Federal Aviation Administration, which runs the air traffic system, stepped up the pace of hiring in under President Joe Biden. But even though 2, qualified applicants were hired last year, they might only just barely replace the 1, who left the job either through retirement or due to the heavy toll the stressful job takes on those who enter the field.
That's because nearly half of those hired in any given year will wash out of the program before they get to actually control aircraft after about three years from their initial start date. So even with an increase in the pace of hiring, it could take as much as 8 to 9 years to reach full staffing, according to Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the union representing 10, certified controllers across the nation.
Those 10, controllers currently on the job are filling the 14, positions needed to meet the current demand. We need maximum hiring so that these stresses and pressures can be taken off of us who are holding the system together today. Anonymous reports to NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System showed at least 10 submissions by controllers that included concerns about staffing, work schedules or fatigue in the last year alone.
The controllers' mental health is deteriorating. So, shortage is not only due to the rigorous standards that make it difficult and time consuming to fill the pipeline with new controllers, but the stresses, demands and hours controllers must work are leading to an attrition rate that makes it difficult for the new hires to make a dent in the shortage.
The fatal crash at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport last week brought new attention to a decades-old problem. There are simply not enough air traffic controllers to keep aircraft at a safe distance from one another.
