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With air traffic increasing to record levels, it's more important than ever for the FAA to hire new controllers and modernize the air traffic control system. While we can't control the weather, air traffic control is something we can.
The overarching solution to the staffing crisis is the hiring and training of thousands of new controllers. There is no other way around this problem and the consequences of inaction are dire. Without adequate numbers of certified controllers our nation cannot increase system capacity and safely meet the needs of our nation's travelers. For the traveler, the math is simple - fewer controllers equal more delayed flights. The time to hire is now. It takes an average of five years to train an air traffic controller, so we are already past the time when we should have been hiring to prepare for this retirement "bubble."
To ensure safe and efficient air travel, FAA must also ensure that new technologies are made available to the men and women responsible for guiding planes. Technology to improve a controller's ability to track incoming flights, communicate with pilots, and regulate ground traffic, has the ability to greatly enhance the safety and efficiency of travel. This technology is available but has yet to be adopted. Our nation's air traffic control system serves as the benchmark for the rest of the world, yet the FAA must move quickly to address critical needs already affecting the daily travel of passengers.
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