The FAA chief told a House subcommittee that, under the current system, U.S. air traffic control towers are unlikely to ever be fully staffed, citing retirements, burnout and retention problems. He urged expanding training pipelines and investing in workforce development to rebuild capacity. Lawmakers also criticized the agency’s outdated technology, including reports of floppy disks still in use. Bedford said the FAA has committed more than $6 billion of the $12.5 billion in recent funding toward telecommunications and radar upgrades to be rolled out over the next 2.5 years.
FAA Chief Warns Air Traffic Control Towers ‘Will Never’ Be Fully Staffed Under Current System
An instructor helps a student navigate radar-based air traffic training during an advanced simulation.
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) chief told a House Aviation Subcommittee on Tuesday that U.S. air traffic control towers are unlikely to ever reach full staffing levels if the agency continues to operate under its current systems and processes.
Chronic Shortages Driven By Retirements, Burnout And Retention Issues
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told lawmakers that waves of retirements, high burnout and persistent retention problems have left towers understaffed nationwide. "The honest answer, sir, is, if we continue with business as usual, never," Bedford said when Representative Hank Johnson Jr., D-Ga., asked when towers would be fully staffed. He added bluntly: "We'll never catch up. The system is designed to be chronically understaffed."
Training Pipelines And Workforce Development Needed
To remedy the shortage, Bedford stressed the need to expand training pipelines and invest in recruiting and developing new air traffic controllers. He said the FAA must boost capacity in its training programs to replenish the workforce over time and reduce pressure on current controllers.
Lawmakers Call Out Outdated Technology
Members of the subcommittee also criticized the agency’s aging technology. Representative Brad Knott, R-N.C., highlighted that some legacy systems still rely on obsolete media such as floppy disks, arguing that antiquated tools make operations less effective and could pose safety risks. Representative Laura Gillen, D-N.Y., said she observed floppy disks in use during a recent visit to the FAA’s Long Island terminal radar approach control facility, which manages traffic into the New York metro area.
"When you're still using floppy disks, that makes everybody less safe, that makes the agency less effective," Rep. Knott said.
Funding And Upgrades
Bedford told lawmakers that the FAA has committed more than $6 billion of the $12.5 billion it received from the recent legislative package (sometimes referred to in testimony as the "big, beautiful bill"). Those funds are being directed toward telecommunications upgrades and new radar surveillance systems that the agency plans to deploy over the next two and a half years.
Lawmakers indicated skepticism about relying solely on more funding without structural reforms to hiring, training and technology modernization. The hearing underscored both the scale of the staffing challenge and the broader modernization needs facing the FAA.
