FAA signs agreements with two colleges for air traffic controller programs

The Federal Aviation Administration has signed agreements with two schools to become the first part of the Enhanced Air Traffic – Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI).

The agreements, with Tulsa Community College and the University of Oklahoma, will provide the same curriculum and technology offered at the FAA Air Traffic Controller Academy in Oklahoma City. The two additional programs are designed to increase the controller training pipeline, officials said, and to ensure that graduates have the necessary skills to begin training.

“The FAA is working to hire and train more air traffic controllers, in order to reverse the decades-long decline in our workforce and ensure the safety of the flying public. The Enhanced AT-CTI program is an important part of that effort,” FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker said on Wednesday. “We’re excited to have these schools become pioneers in this initiative and look forward to seeing more applications from schools as we build out these partnerships.”

Graduates would receive an official endorsement certificate from an Enhanced AT-CTI school, officials said, and move straight into an FAA facility for training. In contrast, the Standard AT-CTI program would require graduates to go to the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, but bypass the introductory Air Traffic Basics course. Enhanced AT-CTI graduates would still be required to pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) exam and to meet medical and security requirements.

The FAA said it would continue to increase the air traffic controller workforce, and that other schools interested in the Enhanced AT-CTI agreements can submit their applications online. In 2023, the FAA hired 1,500 controllers and this year it exceeded its goal of hiring 1,800 air traffic controllers in September.

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